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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25615222">Pride, Credits and Gunpowder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaperDuckling/pseuds/ReaperDuckling'>ReaperDuckling</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Orbiting Tatooine [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon - Typical Violence, Fuck First Feelings Later, Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Character Death, Trauma, author is a proud member of the "let everyone say fuck"-club, bamf!Ahsoka, force sensitive Rex, some mentions of substance abuse, some porn with a lot of plot, the galactic empire are a bunch of nazis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:14:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>40,520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25615222</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaperDuckling/pseuds/ReaperDuckling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years after order 66 a bored Obi-Wan is found by a battleworn Rex. The clone has intel that Ahsoka Tano is alive and in need of help. Armored with the promise of an old enemy and a last-minute-plan, they head off on an adventure through the galaxy to find her – and they hire the most capable, unethical, money grabbing bounty hunter scum that they can find to help them: Cad Bane.<br/>Unbeknownst to the former clone trooper, Obi-Wan and Bane have a lot more history than he thinks.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Background Ahsoka Tano x Asajj Ventress, Cad Bane &amp; CT-7567 Rex, Cad Bane/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; CT-7567 | Rex, Past Obi-Wan x CC-2224 Cody</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Orbiting Tatooine [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175669</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Star Wars Alternate Universes</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello and welcome to my fic, reader! Before we begin I'd like to acknowledge some things: </p><p>1) This is a rewrite and a continuation of an old fic with the same name that I wrote years ago. If you by any chance read it and found your way back here now then I'd absolutely love to know! </p><p>2) I've already completed all of the chapters for this fanfiction, meaning that you can expect regular updates from me every thursday </p><p>3) I'd like to give thanks my two wonderful and supportive beta-readers that's helped me through this entire process: falloutboiruto and Kittyquark. I love you guys and never would have finished this without you! &lt;3<br/>I'd also like to thank adoorable_door for cheering me on and juggling ideas with me. I hope you like the results! </p><p>4) I'm not a native english speaker and neither are my beta's. I'd like to think that this just makes us cooler, reading and writing in our second language, but it also means that there might be some grammatical errors thrown in here and there. Feel free to tell me if you find any! </p><p>5) There's ART!!  Check it out here:<br/>https://falloutboiruto.tumblr.com/post/618521645045481472/its-my-bff-reaperducklings-birthday-today-and-i</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It begins like the start of a bad joke: a former jedi master walks into a bar. As far as establishments go, it just happens to be a certain retired bounty hunters favorite one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first time it happens, Cad, feeling intimidated but curious, immediately falls back into old habits. Hidden in the shadows of the room and behind the wide brim of his hat, the durosian sits back to observe his target.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been four years since the Galactic Empire grabbed its skeletal hands around the galaxy and the old general is looking worse for wear: dusty with sand coating his clothes and hair, his beard still cut short but unkempt with some new streaks of white in it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jedi knows that Cad is there, the durosian can see it in the way he stiffens, so minutely that it’s invisible to the untrained eye, and frowns. The expression is gone in a second, the shadows of their shared past acknowledged then immediately cast aside as Obi-Wan Kenobi, former jedi master, war veteran, now fugitive, makes his way to the counter to place an order. Funny, that. Seven, five, hell even a year prior this encounter probably would have ended in a fight. But there’s very little threat of that now: there’s only one type of depressed asshole that ends up on Tatooine, after all. The planet is like a beach without an ocean: a desolate place for the tragic and broken to wash up. Kenobi seems to have come to a similar realization. From his position in the corner, Cad Bane takes a sip of his whiskey and continues to observe as the jedi orders something with a lot of alcohol in it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment Bane let himself imagine the kind of payment he’d get from the Empire if he were to deliver Obi-Wan to them, or even if he just gave them a tip of his whereabouts. The way that Sidious' attack dog, Darth Vader, is rumored to be scouring the galaxy for the man, Bane imagines that he’d be generously rewarded (and gods know, he needs the money). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too bad that he’d rather swallow a lit lightsaber than work for those assholes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next time they meet at the bar Bane sits down next to him by the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obi-Wan Kenobi…” he drawles, trying not to sound </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>intimidating. “fancy seeing you here.” </span>
</p><p><span>“Ben.” The human corrects him. Obi-Wan meets his gaze and the sudden swell of nostalgia is enough to make Cad smile a little. Kenobi</span> <span>smiles back. “It’s Ben now.” </span></p><p>
  <span>“Oh? Not Rako Hardeen?” The name comes out like a curse. He can tell that it’s got the force wielder rattled. The man turns his face back to the counter and takes a sip of his drink. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Just Ben.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bane waves the barkeeper to him and makes his order for the usual. One tense, silent minute later a large glass of whiskey is placed before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously!” he finally says, as if there hadn’t just been a large, awkward gap in their conversation. “Obi-Wan Kenobi is known all over the galaxy! Hell, even Hardeen managed to make a bit of a reputation for himself in the time you took that persona, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ben?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He snorts out a laugh. “there ain’t a sucker out there that’s gonna look twice at a man called Ben.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes a sip of his drink. It burns its way down his throat in a comforting, familiar way. When he looks back at Kenobi the human is smiling at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s no way to proposition a man, now is it, Bane?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The durosian almost spit up his whiskey, making Obi-Rako-Be-</span>
  <b>
    <em>Kenobi </em>
  </b>
  <span>chuckle in the most aggravating way. Looking at the jedi now, the durosian can’t help but think that he’s still handsome, despite the new, weathered look. Besides, the gleam in his blue eyes is as sharp as usual and for once he shows no intent on trying to kill or deceive him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>nice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spend the next five minutes drinking in silence, feeling strangely comfortable in each other’s company. There’s a million different things they could, should and definitely should </span>
  <b>not </b>
  <span>talk about, but nothing comes to mind. Cad makes short work of his whiskey while Ben sips at his glass full of brown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re probably wondering how you ended up here. How did Obi-Wan Kenobi, jedi master, fall so low as to end up in the company of a bunch of lowlife scum? Maybe you’re even wondering how you managed to become one of us? I sure am.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If the intention was to upset the human (it was) it’s unsuccessful. Cad watch as Ben takes another long gulp of his disgusting brown thing, then turn to face him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am exactly where I need to be.” He responds finally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bane scoffs into his glass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If this is where your precious force or whatever ordered you to go, I don’t envy you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he’s finished his drink Bane rises and gives Ben a meaningful look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So?” He asks, when the jedi doesn’t seem to get it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” He seems rattled, fumbling a little with the place on his belt where he’d usually keep his lightsaber. The sight fills Cad with a sense of grim satisfaction. The weapon isn’t on him now, the durosian realizes. There's a strange, dusty looking revolver there in its stead, looking eerily similar to the ones that the local tusken raiders sometimes use, it’s like a blaster using their archaic ammunition, and isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>interesting? Bane only grins. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You implied that I was ‘propositioning’ you, earlier. I wasn’t then, but I am now. So are we leaving or what?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leaving… where?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Your place.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He makes his way out of the bar without another glance at Kenobi. He doesn’t need to worry: once he’s out the door Ben is right there with him, shuffling around in the desert sand. The human looks nervous. Bane’s own heart is beating like crazy, but he’ll be dead before he let the other know. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their first time together begin almost clinically in how impersonal it is. Bane is there to scratch an itch, nothing more, nothing less, and Ben seems more than willing to assist. They start to undress the moment they’re inside, not touching but always looking, never trusting each other enough to avert their gaze. As more skin is revealed Cad runs his eyes across Kenobi’s battlescars, who in turn inspect Cads. How did they end up like this after giving so many to each other? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They don’t touch until they’re in the bedroom and then it’s straight to business: hands on each other’s genitals that turn into the frantic, tale as old as time cock grinding against another cock. Somewhere along the way their fingers intertwine, dark blue against pale beige as they rub their dicks together in rhythm. It’s almost gentle until Ben hides a grunt by burying his blunt set of human teeth in Cad’s shoulder. It hurts in the best kind of way, so Cad replies in kind by scratching down the human’s back with the nails of his free hand, trying to take as much skin as he can with him, as much </span>
  <em>
    <span>Obi-Wan </span>
  </em>
  <span>as he can with him. Before he knows it Bane’s orgasm runs through him, as quick and intense and life altering as a gunshot. Falling back onto the bed, Cad watches with a growing urge to touch, </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch, </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>touch</em>
  </b>
  <span> as Ben coats his hand in his semen and uses it to bring himself to completion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They don’t touch each other any more that night. Bane sleeps on the couch fully dressed. There’s no illusions between them as to what this was or who they are. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Ben wakes up in the morning the durosian is already long gone. But then, not even a week later, they meet again. The sex that night is messy and quick, leaving a gritty feeling in Bane’s mouth that’s only washed away the following week when they fuck in Ben’s shower. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Here’s another joke for you: after years of fighting finally boiled down to a mediocre one night stand, a retired bounty hunter begin to frequent a former jedi masters home. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yoo, come scream with me about Star Wars and stuff on my tumblr: https://reaperduckling.tumblr.com/ </p><p>and feel free to leave kudos and comments &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. arriving Somewhere (but not Here)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Five months after Kenobi run into Bane in that Tatooine bar, clone commander CT-7567, or just Rex now that he's retired, find his way to the planet searching for him. Unfortunately for the former jedi it's not a social visit.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since ao3 made my non-existant chapter titles look stupid (ex: Chapter 2: Chapter 1 etc etc) I made the last minute decision to give them some names. But since i'm too lazy to actually figure something decent out by myself, I decided to name them all after various pieces of lyrics from songs that are on the playlist that I've been using while writing this fanfic.</p><p>The song of the day is "Arriving somewhere but not here" by Porcupine Tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbWhpfXisZw<br/>Arriving somewhere (but not here)<br/>Ever had the feeling you’ve been here before? <br/>Drinking down the poison the way you were taught <br/>ever thought from here on in your life begins <br/>and all you knew was wrong?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leaving his brothers behind on Seelos was the hardest thing Rex had to do in a long time. </p><p>“That really just goes to show how soft I’ve gotten,” he thinks to himself, glancing briefly at the new rounding of his belly. Fighting his way through the sand dunes of Tatooine by foot, he shoves all thoughts on how much easier this would have been for him just five years prior (physically and mentally) by thinking back to Wolffe and Gregor. Though he’s always felt a very deep connection to his brothers, one that wasn’t nearly as based upon their identical DNA as on their shared experiences, they’d never been this... <em> dependent </em>on each other before order 66. If the clones were the only good thing to come out of the war, as Ahsoka had once told him, then this deepened kinship he shares with his two brothers was the only good thing to come out of order 66. </p><p>Remembering Ahsoka and the way she’d looked at him then, so full of love and trust, a child wise beyond her years, only strengthen Rex's resolve.</p><p>As it’s looking right now, finding general Kenobi is his last remaining hope to save her. And he must hurry! Before it’s too late…</p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>When Ben Kenobi let Cad Bane into his home for the first time he’d had no intentions of ever doing it again, both prior to and after the mediocre fuck.  And yet, five months later, he’s got the durosian pinned down against the pillows of his bed, naked and panting into the crook of the jedi’s shoulder. Somehow meeting up and sleeping with each other has become a habit. He’s sure that Cad is as shocked about the development as he is. </p><p>The durosian has his legs hooked around Ben’s waist, a hand twisted painfully in his hair, his hat and breathing tubes on. Ben had made the mistake of trying to talk Bane into removing the tubes once. The icy glare he’d been shot with was more terrifying than any look he’d ever given him while trying to actively kill him. That doesn’t mean that Ben won’t mess with him a <em> little </em>bit though… </p><p>And so, the jedi untangle himself from Bane’s legs and place them around his shoulders instead. Once the durosian is flat on his back, grumbling like an annoyed loth-cat, Ben rewards him by wrapping his right hand around his cock. He aligns himself carefully while stroking the other man, before he uses his hips to push into him, against that one, sweet spot that he knows by now is going to make Bane see stars. As Cad’s eyes roll back and he releases a guttural groan of pleasure, Ben uses the force to carefully lift the hat off of his head. </p><p>Once Bane returns to reality and, slowly, opens his eyes, it’s to the sight of the human with a shiteating grin on his face, wearing his hat. The bounty hunter releases a splutter of curse words that’s almost a laugh. </p><p>“For fucks sake, Kenobi! No force-wielding in bed!” </p><p>Ben only snickers and begin to move slowly inside of the other again, stroking his cock in lazy tandem. Cad moan, closing his eyes and making the hat fall to the floor in his hurry to tangle his hands back into Ben’s hair. </p><p>He’s beautiful like this. </p><p>The jedi quenches the urge to kiss him (they <b>don’t </b>kiss) by bending down to bite his way across the durosian’s neckline.  </p><p>But just as their movements together are becoming more frantic they’re interrupted by a couple of <em> very </em>unexpected knocks on the front door. </p><p>Bane pretty much throws Ben off of him in his hurry to get away. </p><p>Grumbling something about rude visitors and inopportune visiting hours (it’s mid day), Kenobi put on his old jedi-cloak as if it was a bathrobe and curses all the way to the front door. It’s probably just a droid salesman, or that gang of pesky tuskan youngsters that keeps trying to prank him. </p><p>The knocks continue, more frantic than before. Ben grabs his gun and hides it underneath the cloak, just in case. </p><p>“I’m coming!” <br/>“No you’re not.” Bane grumbles from the bedroom. </p><p>“Very mature. Now would you please shut up and hide?” </p><p>“Fine, fine…” The bedroom door closes just as Ben opens the front one. </p><p>He certainly hadn’t foreseen to find a ghost on the other side of it. </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>Rex wasn’t sure in what kind of a state he’d expected general Kenobi to be in once he found him, but it certainly wasn’t (almost) naked, flustered and looking like he’d just seen a-</p><p>“Cody.” </p><p>Oh. Oh no.</p><p>“No, not Cody I’m afraid. I’m… oh, this is awkward, but I’m Rex. Sorry. I didn’t mean to… well.” </p><p>Slowly, the former jedi’s expression turns from a look of shock to a hesitant, polite smile. </p><p>“Rex. Of course, forgive me, I just… Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting to see you here! What… what are you doing here? And how are you… how are you even <em> alive </em> right now?!” <br/>“With all due respect, general, that’s… not a conversation I think we should be having outside.” </p><p>“Oh. Oh of course, forgive me, come on in, Rex.” </p><p>He says the name like it pains him, making the clone wince a little. There’d been a lot of rumors about the nature of Obi-Wan’s relationship with his first in command back in the day, but Rex had been in such a hurry to get here that he hadn’t even considered the effect it might have on the general. Sometimes sharing a face with thousands of others was really inconvenient. </p><p>Rex steps into the little house in the desert, allowing Kenobi to close the door after him. The room he finds himself in is looking worse for wear: it’s dark and dusty with clothes, old dirty dishes and books spread over nearly every available surface. The air is heavy and confined with the distinct scent of warm sand that seems to cling to everything and everyone on this planet. </p><p>“Damn, general. You live like this?” </p><p>“Well,” he scoffs, and even though it’s dark Rex can tell that he’s blushing. “it’s not like I was expecting visitors.” </p><p>“Sorry,” he chuckles. “this is nice.” The clone makes room on the nearby couch by moving a pile of books, topped with a strangely familiar wide brimmed hat, to the floor. The sight of it makes a strange feeling rush over him, like he’s being watched. He takes a moment to look around the room, but there’s no signs of anyone other than Kenobi being present. </p><p>“Please, Rex,” the jedi chuckles back. “Even if I wasn’t force-sensitive I’d be able to tell that you’re lying. You’re horrible at it.” </p><p>He sits down in an aging armchair and for a moment things between them seem almost normal, almost at ease. But then a shadow cross over Kenobi’s face. </p><p>“I thought… They say that the accelerated aging killed you all?” <br/>“Only the ones with inhibitor chips. But there’s a few of us left, a few who managed to survive-” <br/>“Is Cody…?” <br/>“No. No, I’m sorry. We couldn’t save him.” </p><p>“That’s alright. I wasn’t really expecting… I mean, up until now I didn’t think <em> any </em>of you lived! This is all… it’s all very surprising, is all.” </p><p>And this is the moment, isn’t it? The moment everything has been building towards. Rex takes a steadying lung of breath, releasing it slowly. </p><p>“Well,” he finally says. “we wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t for commander Tano. She saved us. Me and my brothers, Wolffe and Gregor. And now we need to return the favor.” </p><p>Obi-Wan leans forward and narrows his eyes. They seem more awake, suddenly, calculating like they’d been back in the clone wars. </p><p>“Tell me everything.” </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile a certain durosian is currently finding himself butt naked with his ear pressed against Kenobi’s bedroom door, listening in on the aforementioned jedi and his visitor. From an outsider’s perspective this isn’t the most graceful moment in Cad Bane’s life. Still, he’s done a lot worse in the past to get his hands on intel. </p><p>They’ve been saying something about chips so far, and the Five Syndicates, possibly something about some chick named <em> Maud </em>and… Bane’s pants are levitating. </p><p>Now that’s just not right. He’s sure that he left them on the ground with the rest of his clothing, who are currently also in the process of defying gravity one after the other, aligning themselves in a neat row in the air. The message from Ben is crystal clear: get dressed and get out. </p><p>Bane grunt and press his ear back to the door, ignoring it all together. </p><p>So the pants do the only reasonable thing there is to do in its situation: they slap him, hard, across the back of the durosian’s head. </p><p>“fffffucking FINE,” he hiss, grabbing the garment from the air and beginning to thread them over his legs. “but the next time we’re at the bar <em> you’re </em>paying!” </p><p>His jacket shrugs as if to say “whatever” and Bane pulls it from the air with a little more force than necessary. </p><p>Once he’s dressed and ready to go, he throws one last look at the bedroom door. The durosian can tell that they’re still talking on the other side, but he knows that there’s no point in sticking around if Kenobi doesn’t want him there. He’ll probably sick the furniture on him next… So he squeezes his way out of the tiny bedroom window, leaving it wide open in the hopes that it will flood the room with sand, and make his way back to town. </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>Obi-Wan’s head is spinning. He’d retreated into the bedroom under the guise of getting properly dressed, feeling so disoriented that he barely noticed the thin layer of sand covering absolutely everything when he came in. That’s going to take <em> ages </em>to clean up…  </p><p>“Ahsoka is in trouble.” Rex had said. “She was last seen with Asajj Ventress, of all people. The Five Syndicates put a bounty on both their heads. 100 000 credits for Asajj, 200 000 credits for commander Tano. Maul wants them alive.” <br/>“Maul?” <br/>“Yes. I figure that he probably still has beef with her since the clone wars. According to my investigations he’s the shadow leader of the Crimson Dawn. They’re the most powerful criminal organization in the galaxy right now.” </p><p>“That’s funny, I…” he’d laughed, but there’d been no humor in it. “I always thought he’d go after <em> me </em> first, if somehow he’d managed to survive… <em> of course </em>he survived, the man is pretty much unkillable! I cut him in half and threw him out with the trash once and, somehow, he managed to live through that!” </p><p>“I need your help to find her, general Kenobi.” Rex pleaded. “Before he does, or any other scum that might not think that bringing her in alive is worth the trouble.” </p><p>“Of course.” he’d said. It felt like a dream. “Of course I’ll help you.” </p><p>He’d brought Bane’s spare hat with him into the bedroom. </p><p>He’s sitting with it now, playing and tugging at the hem of it while he thinks. If the bounty hunter saw him he’d have his head. The thought brings a smile to his lips. Slowly, his mind slips back into focus. </p><p>They’ll need a plan to save Ahsoka. There’s no way that Obi-Wan and Rex will be able to traverse the galaxy on their own: they’re both dirt poor, to begin with, and neither of them have a ship. Rex used public transport to avoid suspicion on his way to Tatooine and Kenobi wasn’t planning to leave the planet for another, well, twenty years or so, give or take (or however long it takes for the boy to realise his powers). There’s also the issue with the lightsaber… he’s hidden the weapon, out of sight, out of mind. The thought of using it sends a cold shiver of dread down his spine.  </p><p>No, he’s just… not ready quite yet. He’ll keep it on him, but he doesn’t expect to use it any time soon. </p><p>In summation: they need credits and they need help - from multiple sources, probably, and gods know that neither him or Rex have a lot of friends in the galaxy nowadays. </p><p>But maybe, just maybe, the promise of one can lure another... The wealthy always seem to keep a lot of company, after all. </p><p>Ben put the hat next to him on the mattress, reminding himself that he can’t ever trust anyone that he’s paying to help them. Ahsoka’s life, <em> all </em>of their lives, might depend on it. </p><p>In the end, his own connection to the force is the only thing that he can truly rely on. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The original version of this story didn't have Rex in it. Past!Me was a BUFFOON </p><p>Hey come cry with me about Star Wars and stuff on my tumblr: @ReaperDuckling. I just finished rewatching Fives arc in season six so I'm EXTRA emotional about Clone Wars right now :^)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. I'm not a gamble, you can count on me to split</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And I know you have a heavy heart, I can feel it when we kiss<br/>so many men stronger than me have thrown their backs out trying to lift it<br/>But me? I’m not a gamble<br/>you can count on me to split - Bright Eyes: Lua<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSBs-hiapo4</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kenobi and his friend stumble their way into Bane’s favourite bar three days later. </p><p>He can tell that they’re looking for something (someone) but he doesn’t bother greeting them. Instead he sinks deeper into the shadows of his corner booth, watching them scour the place. </p><p>Ben is the first to spot him. There’s a strange gleam to his cornblue eyes that make Bane sit up just a little bit taller and adjust his blaster, just in case. </p><p>He breaks eye contact and studies the mysterious visitor from the other day. A clone? Now that’s interesting… </p><p>The two exchange a few muted words before they approach him. </p><p>“Cad Bane. Fancy running into you here.” Ben says as if he’s surprised to see him. </p><p>Cad just barely manages to force down a laugh. So this is how we’re playing it, huh? </p><p>“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” He greet, watching them sit down in a couple of chairs by his table. “who’s your friend?”<br/>“It’s Ben now. And this is Rex.”<br/>“Ah, so we <em> have </em> met!” The duros grin at the dark eyed human, who only scoffs.  “I thought you looked… <em> familiar </em> .”<br/>“Hello again.” Rex obviously isn’t pleased with this arrangement. </p><p>Watching the other’s discontent make a little bit of the (already very dry) humor in Bane fade as well. He’s getting too old for all of these games.<br/>“So,” he begins before clearing his mind with a mouthful of whiskey. “what brings the two of you here?” </p><p>“Is it so hard to believe that we’re here for the pleasure of your company?” Ben teased. </p><p>“I’m warning you, Kenobi; you <em> don’t </em>want to play with me.”</p><p>Ben sighs before he turns back to Cad with a serious expression on his face.  </p><p>“We want to hire you for a job.”</p><p>Slowly, the durosian raise one interested, non-existing eyebrow.</p><p>“A job?”</p><p>“Yes. We’d like you to help us locate the whereabouts of Asajj Ventress and Ahsoka Tano.”</p><p>“…why?”</p><p>“Because we’ve heard rumors that they’re still alive somewhere, and we’d like to find them.”</p><p>“No I mean… why hire me for that?”</p><p>Slowly, Ben’s expression turns into a smirk. <em> Gods </em>Bane wish that he could just wipe it off his stupid face. </p><p>“Isn’t it obvious?” He grabs Cad’s glass of whisky and takes a sip. Cad is almost impressed by the insolence. “Because everyone knows that you’re the best, because I’ve worked with you before, because me and my former accomplices have been wasting years trying and failing to capture you, but, mainly, because you have a very nice hat.”</p><p>Slowly, Bane smiles back. </p><p>“Flattery will get you everywhere, Kenobi.” He drawls, almost forgetting for a moment that the clone is present and under the impression that they haven’t been fucking for the past five months. “But the last time we worked together was without my awareness and you ended up stabbing me in the back. Why should I help you again?”</p><p>“I have money.”</p><p>“Bullshit. How much?”</p><p>“A lot. They’re old savings from my time with the jedi council.”</p><p>“<b>How</b> <b>much</b>?”</p><p>“Eighty thousand credits.”</p><p>They look at each other, cold blue eyes against warm red ones, and suddenly they’re back in the clone wars (life had, with all its horrors, been simpler then), back to being arch enemies (this had been simple too, never to trust, never to gamble). Bane is the first to move. He swipes the glass from Ben’s hands and down the remaining liquid in three loud swallows. The human is staring at the line of his throat. Is he thinking about cutting it? Or kissing it? </p><p>“Do we…” the clone speaks up, effectively breaking the moment. “do we have a deal?” </p><p>“No. Fuck the both of you and fuck your job too. It’s too high risk with not nearly enough profit.” </p><p>“Fine. You can have ninety thousand.” Ben counters.<br/>“I won’t do it for less than a hundred and twenty.” </p><p>“Well I won’t go higher than a hundred. There’s plenty of other bounty hunters around…”<br/>“Good luck finding someone that won’t hand your sorry asses over to the empire.” </p><p>Something dangerous crosses over Ben’s eyes then. Bane studies the glass, pretending not to notice the way he’s being glared at by the other two. He’s sort of regretting finishing his drink earlier. </p><p>“Fine,” the jedi finally says, making Bane look back at him again. “A hundred and ten thousands credits. No less, no more.”<br/>The bounty hunter fights down a grin. He contemplates his glass for a while, feigning boredom, before he finally puts it down on the table in front of the other two.  </p><p>“Alright.”</p><p>“Eh?” They say in tandem. Bane resists the urge to roll his eyes: how did he keep losing against these idiots back in the day? </p><p>“I said alright. I’ll help you find your missing ladies. On one condition.”</p><p>“What?” Ben questions, looking weary. </p><p>Slowly, Cad Bane gives into the teasing, predatory smirk that’s been building in him since the two entered the bar. He fixes Ben with his eyes and makes sure that he’s really squirming, before he finally rises and nods for the two to follow him.</p><p>“You’re paying for the whiskey.”</p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>”Wow… wow that’s really…” Bane frowns, annoyed, and turns to glare at the two humans behind him.</p><p>Ben and Rex are standing, seemingly frozen, some ten meters away, bags laying forgotten on the ground at their feet. They’re staring at the durosian’s pride, his treasure, his first and only love: his ship, Ena-Rana, like it’s the most horrifying thing in the world.</p><p>The sight makes a sting of irritation prick in his chest and his frown grow deeper.</p><p>“…it’s really…”</p><p>“Really <em> what </em>, Kenobi?” He warns.</p><p>“…it’s a…” finally, Ben turns to him, sees the threat in his eyes and deflates. He shares a look with the clone before turning back to him. “…it’s a piece of trash, Bane. You can’t possibly mean for us to travel in this junk, do you?”</p><p>“Her name is Ena-Rana…” he puts a protective hand on her – and sure she could use some new plating and a coat of fresh paint, but that doesn’t mean that she’s any less of a ship, nor that these prissy ass humans can go around insulting her unpunished! “…and if you don’t start speaking ‘bout her with a little more respect, the two of you will soon find yourself on a little space walk – without a suit.”</p><p>Rex looks a bit rattled but, to Bane’s surprise, Ben actually smiles at this – an annoying, smug smirk that make the durosian want to grab his blaster and shoot his stupid pretty face off.</p><p>“Rana, eh? Like the queen? My, my Cad, I didn’t know that you were such a… nostalgic.”</p><p>The duros sighs and rolls his eyes, not at all impressed with the others historical knowledge.</p><p>“<em> I </em>didn’t name her, not that it’s any of your business. Just get into the ship before I change my mind and leave the two of you here.”</p><p> “Do we have to?”</p><p>“Do you have any better idea of how we’re supposed to traverse the galaxy on this stupid quest of yours?” </p><p>“I don’t know…” Rex interjects, once again reminding Bane of his presence. “The public transport ships may be trash, but… they’re probably… <em> safer </em> than this?”<br/>“Can’t we just steal a ship?” Ben sigh. </p><p>A jedi master suggesting crime? Bane would have laughed if he hadn’t been so annoyed. </p><p>“We’re not stealing anything. And we’re not flying in those public death traps!” </p><p>“But I-!” </p><p>“I said <b>no</b> , Kenobi. I’ll be flying my own ship or none at all – and I <em> will </em>be the one flying!”</p><p>“Your ship doesn’t even look like it’ll make it out of the atmosphere!”</p><p>“Enough!” Fuming with anger, Bane draws his blasters and aims them at Ben’s head, right in between those aggravatingly blue eyes.</p><p>Instinctively, the former Jedi master takes a step back; one hand shooting up in surrender, the other gripping the hilt of the lightsaber Cad knows is hidden behind that long brown cloak of his. The clone pushes his way in front of him and draws his own blasters. </p><p>“Put the weapon down, Bane!” He demands, even as Ben says: </p><p>“Take it easy with that; we’re on your side, remember?”</p><p>“Get into the ship!” </p><p>Slowly, a look of suspicion grows upon and twists Kenobi’s features.</p><p>He steals a couple of quick glances around himself, making sure that no one is around to see them on the shaggy little dock, and Bane can just imagine the cogs rolling inside his head as he finally draws his weapon. It’s, surprisingly, not the lightsaber, but the rough looking old revolver that the duros has caught glances of these past five months. </p><p>The standoff makes him feel strangely nostalgic, and very, very tired.</p><p>“There won’t be any money for you if you kill us, Bane.” Ben says, aligning himself next to Rex. “Even if you hand us over to the empire they’ll just throw you in jail and you know that. Come on now - you’re smarter than this! You don’t want to fight us!”</p><p>They stare each other down for what feels like ages. </p><p>Then, finally, the grin that’s been threatening to spread over Bane’s face ever since Obi drew his weapon finally breaks loose, and the duros lower his guns with a low, hoarse chuckle, tucking them tight and safe in his belt.</p><p>“You do as you wish then, Ben…” he smiles and gives the ship a hard punch, making the door above him open up with a sigh (draining all color from the humans faces once again, he notes with no small amount of amusement). A thin, rusty ramp begin to unfold itself until it reaches the ground in a cloud of dust and sand. “…I’m leaving this shithole planet with or, preferably, without your company.”</p><p>Okay, so, Bane actually has no idea what he’ll do in case the others don’t join him, but they don’t have to know that. Maybe he’ll pay Ohnaka a visit, get good and thoroughly wasted with him and his gang of misfits in the outer rims? Would he come back to Tatooine afterwards? He glances at Kenobi from the corner of his eyes. He’s looking flustered and torn, speaking with the clone in a hurried, hushed voice. Bane doesn’t know. </p><p>Walking up the ramp, the durosian feels the humans eyes on his back and suddenly remembers how unprotected he is. Even if Kenobi didn’t draw the lightsaber just now he’s sure that he’s still carrying it on him. He could easily lash out and cut him open from behind, laser slicing through his flesh like a knife cutting through butter. It wouldn’t even give him the damned dignity to bleed.</p><p>The thought makes an unpleasant shiver run down his spine, but when he looks behind himself he sees that the jedi and the clone have put their weapons away and are gathering their things. </p><p>Kenobi doesn’t seem too intimidating like this, muttering things underneath his breath like he’s prone to while stressed, fussing over the stuff in his baggage that broke when he dropped it. </p><p>Like this, Bane could imagine that he’s just as big of a threat to the jedi as the jedi is to him, that he could kill him just as easily if he ever felt the need to. </p><p>That would be a lie though, and Bane isn’t the sort to try and trick himself. He knows that he’s weak compared to a Jedi master. He’s always known that – not that he’s ever let it stop him in the past, relying more on his intelligence and clever weapons than on physical strength and their precious force.</p><p>Still, if Kenobi or even the clone decide to turn on him while they’re out there, when it’s just the three of them and cold, vast space, he’ll be in some serious trouble… </p><p>Sure, he trust Ben to fuck him good enough, but to trust him with his life? The thought makes him snort, loudly.</p><p>His musings are interrupted when the humans push past him on the ramp.<br/>“What made you change your minds?”<br/>They share another look before Ben answers.<br/>“We figured that if we’re going to die out there in space, we might as well take you down with us.” </p><p>Cad grins and Kenobi duck his head down to hide his answering smile. That doesn’t mean that the durosian didn’t see it though. </p><p>His heart flutters, just a little. </p><p>Huh. He wasn’t aware that it could still do that. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so our space-adventure begins! :D </p><p>Tap that kudos-button and/or leave a comment if you're enjoying this so far! And feel free to say hello to me on tumblr https://reaperduckling.tumblr.com/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Why would you make out of words a cage for your own bird?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Since I'm as impatient as can be I've decided to start posting twice a week instead of just the one! So expect updates on thursdays and sundays from now on :D</p><p>Why would you make out of words a cage for your own bird?<br/>When it sings so sweet the screaming, heaving, fuckery of the world? - Hozier: No Plan<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXq_J29V5Io</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After being cooped up in Obi-Wan’s cabin for a few days, the interior of Ena-Rana seems almost painfully sterile and uninhabited by comparison. As they enter the ship the door closes behind them with a dusty bang, and a tense silence settles between them. It’s only interrupted when they’re suddenly being greeted by a fussy little droid. It introduces itself as Todo II. </p><p>“What happened to the first one?” Rex asks, already wary of the answer. </p><p>The general scowls. Bane grins. </p><p>“I planted an explosive in him and threw him at Kenobi’s face.” </p><p>“You did WHAT?!” The droid squeaks. The bounty hunter responds by dropping his leather jacket on the tiny thing.<br/>“Put this away, will ya? Then show our ‘esteemed guests’ around.” </p><p>“I’ll have you know,” Todo’s robotic voice comes out muffled from underneath the fabric. “that I am a techno-service droid, <em> not </em> a butler!”<br/>“Just do it, or you’ll be heading down the same path as your predecessor.” </p><p>“For your information,” Ben says in a deadpan. “I’m cutting ten thousand credits from your salary every time you throw any sort of explosives in either my or Rex’s direction.” </p><p>“Just the ten?” Bane laughs. He sneaks one last glance at Kenobi before he disappears deeper into the ship. “It might be worth a couple of tries then.” </p><p>Is he crazy or is Obi-Wan… smiling? </p><p>The expression lasts for less than a second before the jedi bends down to help Todo II with the jacket. The techno-droid seems flustered by the attention, thanking him profusely. Rex watches them interact with a feeling of unease churning in his stomach. </p><p>When Obi-Wan had suggested that they’d team up with a bounty hunter, Rex didn’t like it. When he’d pitched his plan to the clone, he’d liked it even less. And once he learned that the bounty hunter they’d be working with was <b><em>Cad Bane?</em></b> Rex started to worry that the general might have gone mad out here in the outskirts of the galaxy. But every time he’s tried to voice his concern, Kenobi has shot him down in one way or another, seemingly completely uninterested in even having the discussion. He’s not acting like the general Rex once knew: he used to be a diplomat who valued his soldiers advice. But he supposes that war, time and endless dunes of sand changes everyone… And Rex <em>is </em>a soldier: it’s what he was created to be, all he’s ever known, no matter how twisted up inside that thought makes him now. And good soldiers follow orders. </p><p>There’s something else about all of this that’s making Rex feel wary, something in the way that Bane and Kenobi keep looking at and talking with each other… it’s like they’re sharing a secret. But that can’t be, the general insisted that he doesn’t have any friends on Tatooine and besides, the last time Rex saw them they were mortal enemies. </p><p>He’s probably just gotten a bit paranoid lately. Constantly hiding from the republic empire is… taxing, to say the least. </p><p>“Now, if the two of you would just gather your things and follow me…” Todo II says, breaking Rex out of his thoughts. </p><p>Obi-Wan is holding his bag out for him with a kind, expectant expression. The clone takes it with a guilty thanks. The general must have noticed that he zoned out. </p><p>They follow the little droid the same way that Bane disappeared, into the darkness of the ship. It really is a dull place, dimly lit and sparsely furnished. If it wasn’t for the occasional stray drinking glass Rex wouldn’t have believed that anyone lived here at all. The whole ship smells like sand. It must have been parked here for a long time. </p><p>As far as ship’s go Ena-Rana is fairly small. There’s a common room with a couple of leather couches, a table and a corner with various kitchen appliances. There’s also a cramped bathroom, a master bedroom that they aren’t allowed in, a guest room with a bunk bed that Rex and general Kenobi are supposed to share, a mechanical hub, a storage room and, of course, a small control room. That’s where they find Bane, hunched over and cursing over the controls. He’s furiously slapping at one of the levers until, finally, it complies with a rusty groan and goes down the way he likes it. The sight does nothing to soothe Rex’s nerves about flying in this deathtrap.<br/>“You boys better strap in,” The duros grumbles without turning to look at them. “‘cuz we’re about to head out. Rana may fly like a charm while in space, but it’s going to be a bumpy ride through the atmosphere.”<br/>“Are there…?” Rex begins while eying the only remaining chair with a seatbelt attached to it. He’s already dreading the answer. “any other seats?”<br/>“Nope.” The durosian laughs. “You’ll have to share.” </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>With a deafening cough that turns into a roar Ena-Rana’s engines struggle their way back to life under Cad Bane’s command, signaling the commencement of Ben’s living nightmare. </p><p>He’d refused the chair, giving the only other secure seat up to Rex, that complained a bit at first for show before he’d strapped himself in. Kenobi is a jedi master after all - if anyone can handle a bit of turbulence it should be him! And so he plants himself securely on the floor in between the seats, steadying himself with one hand on each. Bane gives him a funny look. In retrospect, he should have known that shit was gonna hit the fan after that. </p><p>“Cad!” He remembers shouting through the tremors. Everything was shaking so violently that his teeth were rattling together. His thoughts went to his luggage, that wasn’t strapped down properly and probably smashed to pieces by now, and then to the door that had opened so easily earlier. Bane just laughed and then they’d been up in the air. </p><p>The second Ena-Rana left the ground, Ben lost his balance, stumbling into Cad’s lap. The way he’d clung to him then would have been embarrassing if he wasn’t so busy being terrified. Meanwhile, the ship forced it’s shaky way through the atmosphere. </p><p>“Enjoying the ride so far, Kenobi?” </p><p>“Fuck you!” </p><p>The duros lean forward and nestle his head into the crook of Ben’s shoulder, making his human heart skip a beat. As absurd as it may be, this is the closest they’ve ever been to snuggling. His hands find their way in under Cad’s jacket and fist themselves in the fabric of his shirt.<br/>“Not while the clone is here.” Bane breathes in his ear, sending a shiver down Ben’s spine. </p><p>That’s when they reach the blessedly calm, open, (relative) safety of space, and that’s where Kenobi finds himself now. He make his way out of Cad’s lap before either one of them has the chance to do or say anything stupid. </p><p>“So,” he says, once he’s found his composure. The other two are giving him funny looks. “where are we headed?” </p><p>“I’m not sure yet.” Bane answers matter-of-factly. Well, at least he’s being honest. “I’ve been trying to get a hold on an old contact on Florrum, but he’s as slippery as always.” </p><p>“Florrum?” Rex asks. “As in the weequay pirates?”<br/>“Yeah.” The durosian narrows his eyes, and Kenobi doesn’t know how to interpret the dark look that he throws the clone. He looks almost… worried? “What do you know?” </p><p>“Well, the weequay pirates were dispersed by the five syndicates shortly after the war. But I… well, I have Hondo’s contact information, if he’s the one you’re looking for.” </p><p>“What?!” The other two say in sync. </p><p>“Yeah. He’s the one that helped me find general Kenobi.” </p><p>Ten minutes later they have Hondo on the line. He’s looking skinnier than Ben remembers him, with dark shadows underneath the eyes, but otherwise he seems more or less the same. He’s still got that shit eating grin, for starters. </p><p>“Ah, my dearest Cad! I’m so happy to see you my old friend!” The pirate exclaims, completely ignoring the two humans. </p><p>“Cut the chatter, Ohnaka. I’m not here for some sunny reunion - I need intel.” </p><p>“My darling, you wound me! It’s been so long and yet all I hear from you is business, business, business. Say one word and I will have my men - err… my man, prepare a <em> feast </em>in your honor!” </p><p>“You’d probably sell me to the Republic the second I put foot on your ship.” </p><p>“My love, my heart is breaking! Have you such little regard for me?” </p><p>Slowly, Bane breaks into a familiar, sly grin. It looks a lot like the one he’ll give <em> him </em>sometimes: pressed against the pillows of his bed, or up against a wall, or just now, huddled up tight together in the chair of the control room. The sight makes something dark twist in Ben’s stomach. </p><p>“I think you know just how much <em> regard </em>I have for you, Hondo.” </p><p>“I do. Quite intimately.” </p><p>Rex chough. </p><p>
  <b>Loudly. </b>
</p><p>“Aaaah, yes! You have company, no?” Ohnaka laughs. “Rex! Obi-Wan! My old friends, let me see your faces!” </p><p>The humans share a look before they step up on either side of Bane. Ben tries and utterly fails to resist the urge to place a hand on Cad’s lower back. The durosian’s eyes flicker to him, but he doesn’t object. </p><p>“It’s Ben now, actually.” Kenobi says in way of greeting, surprising himself with his cold tone of voice. This only serves to amuse the pirate. </p><p>“Obi, Ben, it doesn’t matter! You are a friend of the weequay pirates and I will do everything in my power to help you on your noble quest. Just like I helped your friend Rex earlier! For - errr, a small sum of money, of course. It’s just business, you understand.” </p><p>That’s when a thought hits Ben that turns his insides cold. Hondo helped Rex find him on Tatooine. Hondo, apparently, has some sort of a relationship with Bane. Bane is the only one who knew his whereabouts. </p><p>He takes his hand from Cad’s back and lets it drop to the side, not caring whether the durosian notices. He can’t look at him right now. How could he have been so naive?! He always knew that the bounty hunter wasn’t trustworthy. </p><p>“We’re looking for information about Asajj Ventress and Ahsoka Tano, anything you might have,” Rex says. “we’re trying to find them before the syndicates do.”<br/>“Hm, first Kenobi, now Ventress and Tano, you say? My, my, Rex, this is quite the chase you’ve gotten yourself into!” Hondo smiles. “Well, you already know my prices. I’ll pull some strings, see what I can find and contact you as soon as I have anything. In the meantime the three of you can discuss how you’re dividing my payment. Ciao!” </p><p>And just like that he’s gone, leaving nothing but a bitter taste in Ben’s mouth. </p><p>“I mean…” Rex snickers, breaking the silence. “I already knew that Hondo had slept with most of the galaxy. But you too, Bane?”<br/>“That’s none of your business, clone.” </p><p>He calls them back seven hours later. Rex is sound asleep in the bottom bunk and, once Ben investigates, he finds Cad asleep as well. The duros is half sitting, half laying in his chair at the control room, snoring with Todo II curled up in his lap. </p><p>Ben sneaks past them all and takes the holo-call in the privacy of Bane’s forbidden bedroom. Once inside he doesn’t see what the fuss was all about, it seems like a perfectly normal bedroom to him, if a bit dusty. The only thing that stands out to him is the picture of an elderly durosian male on the wall. It doesn’t look like anyone has been in here for a very long time. </p><p>It turns out that even if Ohnaka has become a bit of a has-been, he’s as resourceful as ever. The pirate tells Ben the last rumored location of Ventress and Ahsoka: on Alderaan, both in the service of Bale Organa. This... complicates things. For all intents and purposes, he’d like to keep the other jedi by Leia’s side for as long as possible. But he still needs to capture Ventress to complete his deal with Jabba the Hutt. It’s nothing that another lie can’t fix though - his only regret is that, this time, he’ll have to lie to Rex as well. He doesn’t know about Anakin’s children, and Ben isn’t entirely sure that he can trust the clone with that knowledge just yet. He sends a quick message to Organa, asking him to pass it onto Asajj if she’s still on the planet. Then he covers his tracks and leaves the room. </p><p>“Bane.” Ben grabs his shoulder gently. The duros grunts awake, blinking up at him with sleep-heavy eyes. </p><p>“What?” He down right <em> wines </em>. Todo II echos the sound, then turns around and shuts back down nestled against Bane’s thigh. </p><p>“I need you to set a course for Alderaan.”<br/>“You talked to Hondo?” </p><p>“I did. And the hutts. They’ve got Ahsoka.”<br/>“Oh. Why are we going to Alderaan then?”<br/>“That’s where Ventress is. We’re trading them.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feel free to hit that kudos-button and send me a comment! c:<br/>and come scream with me about star wars on my tumblr: https://reaperduckling.tumblr.com/ (I also post there whenever a new chapter is up. What even IS Obi x Bane's shipname though? ObiBane? BaneObi? If you know, please tell me in a comment!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. and not to pull your halo down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>and not to pull your halo down<br/>around your neck and tug you off your cloud<br/>but I'm more than just a little curious how you're planning to go about<br/>making your amends<br/>to the dead - A Perfect Circle: The Noose<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pU4RA8L_V4</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every night since they boarded Ena-Rana, Ben keeps having the same nightmare. </p><p>They’re back in the clone wars, back when friends were enemies, before enemies became friends, back on Utapau. He remembers the planet as warm and almost suffocatingly damp, and in his dreams the humidity keeps clogging in his throat. But it’s not his battle with Grievous that he dreams about, or even the horrifying ordeal of order 66 (Cody’s voice as he ordered the kill, the piercing scream of the varactyl as they fell, fell, fell into the waters far below - would the animal drown him in its hurry to escape? Or would he simply be crushed by the fall itself?). No, Ben dreams of the night before, of the safety of his tent, when he’d had Cody wrapped up in his arms warm and safe and happy just to be held. The clone had loved him, he was sure. And he’d loved him back. There’s no inhibitor chip or galactic empire in the galaxy that can erase that. But whenever he tries to voice his feelings, the words stick in his throat like lead and then Cody is kissing them out of him. They twist and turn together between the sheets of Obi-Wan’s bed, skin against naked skin. Sometimes, Cody’s fingers are blue and slender instead of dark and solid, his eyes a cold red instead of the usual warm brown. Other times his hands feel like the icy barrel of a gun, pressed against Kenobi’s chest throat temples back<em>.</em> </p><p>Rex's face is the first thing he sees when he wakes up. </p><p>It does nothing to improve his mood. </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>It’s supposedly a seven day ride to Alderaan, but Rex's fellow shipmates are making the week feel a lot longer than that. The clone thought that he was used to living up close and personal with others, but Bane and Obi-Wan’s constant bickering is making Ena-Rana seem almost suffocatingly small. </p><p>They fight about <em> everything: </em> the plan, Ohnaka’s payment, breakfast, lunch, dinner, cleaning arrangements, how long it’s appropriate to shower etc etc. Surprisingly, Rex is finding himself siding with Bane on a lot of issues (except for the shower one - the durosian always takes an excessive amount of time in the bathroom. Frankly Rex suspects that he does it just to annoy Obi-Wan at this point). The plan <em> does </em> seem risky - why would they trust the Hutts? If they have Ahsoka then they should go there immediately and help her escape. And Ohnaka’s payment is… juicier than Rex was counting on. It’s certainly more than he’d charged to find Kenobi - and the prospect of owing Bane money they don’t have is already enough to keep Rex up at night! <br/>Speaking of being up at night, Obi-Wan doesn’t seem to be sleeping much. He keeps catching the general nodding off during breakfast and the already dark circles underneath his eyes seem to have gotten heavier, more pronounced. Sometimes he’ll look at Rex funny, like he’s seeing a ghost. </p><p>It’s making Rex feel worried, which is making him tense. They need to be at their best game if they’re going to catch Ventress, but currently neither of the other two seem up for the task. And so as they approach the end of the week, so does Rex approach the end of his patience.</p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>Bane doesn’t use the master bedroom.</p><p>Instead, he makes himself as comfortable as he possibly can in the control room chair whenever it's time to rest, feet propped on the board and hat tucked down to hide his face, or he spread himself out on the couch in the common room. He doesn’t quite fit and it’s a lot harder than the couch in Kenobi’s house, but it’s gonna have to do for now. The few times he’s forced into the bedroom, to change his clothes or collect something, the enclosed space makes him feel like he’s choking. <br/>His dreams follow an eerily similar pattern: every time he slips into unconsciousness he’s plagued by visions where he in some way or another (system failure, force choke) runs out of air. The recurring nightmares have him feeling paranoid and irritable, checking on their oxygen supply every other hour or so, just in case. </p><p>Ben’s similar bad mood and Rex's tendency to tiptoe around the both of them, even when the clone obviously <em> knows </em>that he's in the right, only pisses Cad off more. Their continuous arguing reaches its peak on the “morning” (there are no real mornings in space) of the sixth day. </p><p>“What are you <em> implying </em>, Bane?” Ben asks in between the bites of his breakfast. His blue eyes are icy cold, but Bane recognizes the slight flush on his cheeks for the barely contained rage that it is. Rex is sitting on the human’s left, staring down at his food with the passion of someone wishing that they were somewhere else entirely. </p><p>They’ve had this discussion so many times now that it’s almost beginning to bore the duros. Almost. </p><p>“I’m not <em> implying </em>anything, Ben.” He drawls, studying his nails over the cup of black, caffeinated sludge that goes for coffee on the ship. “I’ve been telling you for days that this is a suicide mission. You should know better than anyone that the Hutts are a bunch of backstabbing worms. They can’t be trusted.” </p><p>“Oh,” the jedi laughs humorlessly. “you’re one to talk.”  </p><p>Bane raises a non-existent eyebrow, feeling some genuine irritation prickle at him at the implication. </p><p>“Excuse me?” <br/>“No, I’m just saying… bounty hunters aren’t exactly in the business of being trustworthy, are you?” </p><p>“<em> You’re </em> one to talk, <em> Hardeen </em>!” He spit, almost spilling the coffee in his urge to put the mug on the table. </p><p>“Oh stop it with the Hardeen-nonsense, Bane. We both know that that was just…” </p><p>“What? Business?!” </p><p>“That’s not fair.” </p><p>“I’m just saying that your precious jedi order weren’t nearly as morally superior as you seem to remember them. I can recall plenty of times when you were responsible for screwing people over!” </p><p>“Since when do you care about the <em> people, </em> Bane? At least we were out there helping others, instead of trying to squeeze them out of credits for our own personal gain! I mean, for fucks sake, Cad, we were at <em> war </em>! And you went around the galaxy like some… some-” </p><p>“Some <em> what? </em>” </p><p>“Some thug.” </p><p>“Well guess what, Kenobi?” Cad laughs, angry and frustrated. “I <b>am </b>a thug! What’s your excuse?” </p><p>“My excuse for what?” </p><p>“Your lot were supposed to be peacekeepers, right? What kind of backwards peacekeepers use their powers to kill people? To torture them?” <br/>“We didn’t-” </p><p>“You tortured me.” </p><p>A tense, heavy silence settles around the table. Even Rex seems to have stopped pretending that he’s not listening - he’s staring between the two of them, cogwheels in his little head turning. Bane doesn’t have the energy for him. He doesn’t have the energy for any of this. He’s tired and angry and the only thing he can hear right now is the loud drumming of his own heart. </p><p>“I… we didn’t-” <br/>“You did. You tied me to a chair and forced your way into my mind. Do you have any idea of how that feels, Kenobi? The three of you split my head open and forced your way inside. How many people did you violate this way, Kenobi? How many did you torture and torment for information?” <br/>“You were kidnapping <em> children </em>!” Ben finally snaps, red faced and wide eyed. His anger only serves to fuel Bane’s more. “You took them from their parents and would have them delivered to a monster! A sith lord!” </p><p>“What difference would it have made, one cult or another?!” Bane spits back, the anger pulsing in his veins. “You would have taken them for yourselves sooner or later! And the ones you did, before the end, are all dead now. How much good did your precious jedi order do them?!” <br/>“How <em> dare </em> you imply that-” <br/>“Alright that’s <b>enough</b> !” Rex interrupts, reminding them of his presence. He’s looking just as pissed off as the others, but a lot more collected. Bane watches him rise from the table. The clone’s stature, tall and proud, is enough to remind the durosian of the fact that he’s a former commanding officer. “I didn’t travel half the galaxy and spend most of my life savings to listen to the two of you argue, or to play at some sort of a relationship counselor! I need you to stop fighting and get your act together, or we’re never going to be able to defeat Ventress. You got that?” <br/>Bane laughs, shocked. </p><p>“Yeah. Sorry, mate.” </p><p>“I’m sorry, Rex.” Ben sigh. “You’re right, all of this arguing is… unnecessary. I’ll try to do better.” </p><p>The clone is looking a bit ill suddenly, like he just remembered that this is a superior officer that he yelled at. Still, he nods, gathers his dishes (despite the fact that Todo II are supposed to do those) and excuses himself from the table. </p><p>Ben and Bane finish their breakfast together in silence. For a while Rex outburst seems to have been It: the grand finale to the morning, until the duros prepare to make his leave and Ben speaks up. </p><p>“I haven’t been sleeping lately.” The human says.</p><p>Bane sits his ass back down and listens. </p><p>“I used to… used to be involved with a clone. Before the end of the war.” </p><p>“Oh.” </p><p>As they stare at each other from across the table, Bane takes his time to really <em> study </em>the human. His complexion seems more pale than usual, the lids of his eyes heavy and dark. Yeah, now that he’s actually taking the time to look at him it’s pretty obvious that he hasn’t been sleeping. It’s kind of funny, really, that they’ve been having the same problem all this time. Kind of sad, too. Cad feels the sudden urge to touch him. Maybe he would have if there wasn’t a table between them: the space it creates seems endless. Then, he realizes with a start, that Kenobi is waiting for him to talk. </p><p>“Oh! Well…” he diverts his eyes, feeling awkward all of a sudden. “I guess you can sleep in the bedroom if you like. It’s… it’s not like it’s getting a lot of action as it is right now.” </p><p>When he looks back up, Kenobi is smiling at him. </p><p>It’s a small, tired but painfully honest smile, so it’s ridiculous, really, utterly ridiculous, how it manages to fill Bane to the brim with something strange and warm and bright. </p><p>“Thank you.” The human says before he gathers his dishes and leaves. </p><p>The day that follows is the first since they departed that Cad forgets to check the oxygen-supply. But that’s okay. Todo II has it covered. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>the girls are fiiiIIIGHHTIIING </p><p>make sure to hit that kudos-button for more KenoBane-content and feel free to give me a comment!<br/>I can also be found crying about Star Wars here: https://reaperduckling.tumblr.com/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. I'll be dead before the day is done</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>See I was dead when I woke up this morning <br/>(I'll be dead before the day is done) <br/>They can keep me high 'til I tear the walls <br/>'til I save your heart, and I take your soul <br/>And what have we done? Can I be undone? - Florence and the Machine: Seven Devils <br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIJTe1YEd9E</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Once they reach Alderaan Ventress is already waiting for them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Rex or Bane find it suspiciously convenient they don’t say anything. Their silence on the matter is only serving to make Ben, who had at least three different lies on the ready, more tense. But it seems like everyone is too caught up in their own heads to question him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s got his lightsaber strapped to his belt, just in case. He’s not planning to use it. Instead he’s got his revolver drawn and at the ready. The other’s haven’t questioned that either. Rex is staying close to him, scanning the area like the practiced soldier that he is, while Bane is watching their backs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After sending Ventress a message about his intentions, she’d sent one back, deciding on a time and a place. Dramatical as always, she chose an abandoned old amusement park close to the Cloudshape Falls. You can hear the heavy water falling even from here: a distant background to the creaking of the old, rusty carousels around them. Aside from that, the place is eerily silent and heavy with fog, but when Ben reaches out he doesn’t sense anyone’s presence but the one. They’re probably not walking into a trap then. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Boys…” a velvety voice breaks through the silence, sending a rush of nostalgia over Kenobi. They swivel around as one, finding Assajj tall, slender and pretty as always draped across the back of an rusty old statue of an acklay. “You shouldn’t have traveled so far just to meet little old me.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You’re looking as radiant as ever, my dear. I’m glad to see that you haven’t lost your sense of dramatics.” Ben jeer back, and this? This routine, the teasing, the flirting, it’s disturbingly comfortable, like putting on his jedi cloak after a long day. It’s almost enough for him to forget how dire the situation is for a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Kenobi, I’ve missed your quick wits.” She smirks, drawing her lightsaber. It releases with a hum, glowing white (and isn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>a surprise!) and dangerous, but there’s no indication that she’ll attack them. Yet. “I see you brought company! A clone? Now that’s nostalgic. And who might this be?”  She nods towards the durosian, that takes to the air with the rockets in his shoes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lady,” Cad smirks. “I’m the one that’s gonna hand your pretty little head in to the Hutts.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you now?” Something in her smile turns predatory. “Bald, alien and dangerous, huh, Kenobi?” She laughs and the sound of it cuts through the air like a knife. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you have a type! Or…” her eyes flicker to Rex, that’s drawn his weapons and is standing ready to shoot. “two types.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Ben nods for the others to proceed, Ventress gets up from the statue. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You’re making a mistake.” She says, all of the humor gone from her voice. “You being here is doing more harm than good for everyone involved.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll see about that.” Ben says and then they clash. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ventress is fast and obviously very dangerous, but Cad has been fighting force users most of his adult life. It’s what he specialised in, after all, during the clone wars. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So when she throws herself at them, lightsaber hissing in her hands, he knows that the best course of action is to create distance between them. The duros take higher to the air, flying in a wide arc around her while she’s trying to hunt down Kenobi. He flanks her left. Rex performs a similar maneuver from the ground, rolling to the side as the sith approach before moving to flank her right. Meanwhile Ben is luring her into one of the carousels, ducking between and throwing plastic mounts at her using the force while she slash them to pieces, laughing maniacally. Bane meets Rex's eyes, allowing a quick moment of mutual understanding to pass between them before they shoot. It’s almost simultaneous, meaning that even though she saw it coming, she’s only able to deflect part of the fire. One laserbolt hit her in her right side, making her release a frustrated, pained scream. She turns her angry grey eyes to Rex and leap to the clone’s side, raising her lightsaber with the intent to kill. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rex rolls away from her in the nick of time. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“A little help here!” He shouts, scrambling to get away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two loud shots are heard piercing through the air. They’re a lot different than laserfire: louder, heavier, more final in their delivery. There’s smoke coming from the old revolver in Ben’s hands. But the bullets fail to hit their mark: Ventress is currently holding them in place with the force, making them hover dangerously in the air in front of her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sith snarls and throws them aside. They ricochet between the mechanical constructs around them until one of them finds the ground, and the other Rex’s left leg. The clone screams and tumbles into the earth. Meanwhile, Cad begin to sneak behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this the best you can do, old man?!” Ventress snarls at Ben, that’s looking uncharacteristically disheveled as he reloads the pistol. “Where’s your lightsaber?!” The sight of the human looking so stressed, so scared, makes something dark and dangerous rise in Bane. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh just shut up, already!” He spits, and shoots her with his contact stunner. It lands on her back, frying her into a limp mess on the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she’s laying in the dirt, lightsaber disabled, Cad makes his way over to Rex that’s sitting in a steadily growing pile of blood next to her. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Be careful!” Kenobi warns. “Even when hurt, Assajj is danger-” And just like that they’re both being hauled into the air, invisible hands clutching at their throats. Ventress is screaming like a wounded beast, wide eyes boring into Cad’s own without really seeing him as she struggles to stand and raise them higher using the force. Even though Bane is protected from the worst of it by the breathing tubes, the panic alone is enough to make him see black spots. His eyes roll into the back of his head as he fights through the force holding his body still. Slowly he raises his guns, aiming them, inch by inch, towards their enemy… </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>They fall back to the ground in a couple of dusty piles. Rex is coughing, loud and hoarse, while Bane takes a moment to just close his eyes and breathe through the panic. Once he’s calmed down a bit, he looks up and meets the gaze of Ben Kenobi. The human is running his eyes over him, looking worried, before he realizes that Cad is staring back and quickly diverts his gaze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s checking on the limp form of Ventress, that seems to have been rendered unconscious by a classic hit to the back of her head. Once he’s made sure that she’s still alive, he makes his way to the clone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” Ben asks, cradling Rex's face in his hands, and Bane is definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>jealous of the way he’s looking at the other then: soft, worried and vulnerable in a way that the human’s never dared be with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Rex grumbles. He spits out a bit of blood. He must have bit his tongue in the fall. “but I’ve had worse. I’ll live.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m alright too, thanks for asking.” Bane says, sounding a lot more bitter than he’d planned. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Ben doesn’t answer, but there’s a shadow of a smile on his face. Then he begins to draw the bullet out of Rex's leg using the force. Once it’s out he let it hover in the air for a second, before releasing it into the pile of blood. It gleams dangerously in the midday sun. He closes his eyes and begin to close the wound. Watching the cells of Rex body regenerate is equal parts terrifying, equal parts fascinating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never took you for a healer, Kenobi.” Bane finds himself musing aloud.  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I didn’t use to be,” He sighs, letting something impossibly sad and weary in him slip. Bane wants to gather him up and force these shadows away, but he doesn’t know how. He does, however, know that whatever his confused affections are, they wouldn’t be welcomed. “it’s just one of the many things I learned far too late.”  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>They lock Ventress in the storage room, hands tied behind her back with mandalorian manacles to restrain her from using the force. Ben shouldn’t have been surprised that Cad keeps a couple of them on the ship, but it still makes him uncomfortable. He constantly has to remind himself not to trust the bounty hunter, regardless of his personal feelings for the man. He used to hunt and kill jedi, after all, and he may very well be the reason as to why Ohnaka knew about his whereabouts on Tatooine. Before they leave the still unconscious Ventress alone in her “cell”, Ben disarms her, strapping her lightsaber next to his own on his belt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>still have it.” Rex says the second they’ve left the room. There’s a strange strain to his voice.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben looks from the clone, to the lightsabers, back to the clone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why wouldn’t you use it?!” He continues, sounding so upset that even Bane takes an interest, glancing at the two of them from underneath the brim of his hat. Ever since they got back to the ship he’s been laying sprawled out on the couch, refusing to move more than to point them in the general direction of the restraints. Rex continues. “Out there, fighting Ventress… With all due respect, general, I fail to see the strategic advantage of using some old tusken trash when we were fighting against that mad-woman!” </span>
</p>
<p><span>“Well,” Cad snorts. “they </span><em><span>do </span></em><span>say ‘don’t bring a laser-knife to a blaster-fight’.” </span><span><br/></span><span>“</span><b>Shut</b> <b>up, </b><span>Bane! Obi-Wan, by refusing to wield your lightsaber you put us all in danger. We could have gotten killed!” </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Ben.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“It’s Ben.” He sighs. “Not Obi-Wan, or even general. Just Ben.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But sir-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugs his coat off and lets it fall to the floor, feeling the events of the day like a heavy weight on his shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right, Rex. Ventress is dangerous. Too dangerous to be left alone.” Ben allows himself a quick, traitorous glance towards Bane. The durosian is sitting up now, staring at him with big, concerned eyes, and for a moment he lets himself imagine what it would be like to just say fuck it, cross the room and snuggle down with him on the couch. Or maybe, just maybe, he could convince him to join Ben in the bedroom for a well deserved nap. It’s not an entirely new fantasy, he used to indulge himself in it more or less frequently back on Tatooine, but he’s never craved it this much before. The intensity of his feelings startle him back into reality. Jedi aren’t supposed to form strong emotional attachments. And they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>not supposed to form strong emotional attachments to enemies of the jedi order. He turns back to Rex, that’s looking confused and upset. Ben swallows around the big lump of guilt gathering in his chest and closes his eyes. The worst part of all of this is that he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>right. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben should know better, should fight better, should do better to protect them… but just the thought of wielding his lightsaber make him go cold with sweat (sometimes it feels like every time he close his eyes he sees the hate in Anakin’s, hear his scream, smell his burning flesh). “I’ll take the first watch.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“But sir!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Leave it, kid.” Bane intervenes, voice dangerously cold. When Ben opens his eyes again, the durosian is standing up, closer than before. His red eyes are focused on Rex, but his body is angled towards the jedi, like he’d made to go to him but changed his mind. Ben really, really wishes that he’d gone to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking at the bounty hunter, Rex resolve crumbles. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span> “Sorry,” he says, sighing. “It’s just… it’s been a long day. Excuse me, I’m going to bed.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Cad’s eyes don't leave him until he’s out of the room. Meanwhile, Ben can’t seem to stop staring at the duros. He finds himself wishing that they were closer. Physically or emotionally? He doesn’t know, maybe both. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Ben hears himself saying, like a spectator to himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t,” Bane says, and when he finally turns to him the duros eyes are burning. “don’t you ever think that you’re not worth fighting for. Or that you can’t trust anyone else with whatever it is that’s eating at you. You don’t always have to deal with everything alone, Kenobi.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Looking at the passion in Cad’s eyes, he almost wants to</span>
  <span> trust</span>
  <span> believe him. Looking at the way his hands keep clenching and unclenching, one of the few nervous tells that he ever let slip, Ben desperately, </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperately </span>
  </em>
  <span>wants to breach the distance and go to him. He’s not even sure what he’d do next: would he hold him? Fuck him? Maybe even bridge this impossible rift in their relationship and kiss him, or pour his heart out and finally talk about the war and order 66 and Anakin and this stupid tangled mess he’s gotten them all into, never to mention the impossible, painful feeling that keep growing in his chest every time he think about putting those blue fingers to his lips and kiss them- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he doesn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead he bids Cad goodnight and takes the first watch over Ventress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the other room, Todo II sets their course back to Tatooine. It’s not like any one of them will be able to sleep through the turbulence of leaving Alderaan anyway. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was the first fight-scene I've written in years and it TERRIFIED me, but I actually ended up having a lot of fun with it! There's a couple more fight-scenes coming up later that I wrote with a lot more confidence. :) <br/>Also how obvious is my crush on Ventress? I just love her so much, and she's so much fun to write!</p>
<p>Slap that kudos-button and leave me a comment! I love to hear from you guys! &lt;3 I can also be found here: https://reaperduckling.tumblr.com/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I'm perfectly able to hold my own hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't need another friend <br/>when most of them, I can barely keep up with and I'm <br/>perfectly able to hold my own hand<br/>but I still can't kiss my own neck - Wye Oak: Civilian <br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mssm8Ml5sOo</p>
<p>The scene at the very end of this chapter is actually what inspired this entire fanfic, eight years ago, believe it or not!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As much as Rex tried there’s no sleeping through the turbulence of leaving Alderaan. The clone can’t even find peace afterwards, turning this way and that for one restless hour until he finally accepts his fate and leaves the bedroom for some coffee. Nighttime is an illusion and their sleep schedules are fucked either way, he might as well jive with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once up, he finds a couple of other restive inhabitants of Ena-Rana: Bane and Todo II are sitting by the table, cleaning the duros guns with a piece of cloth each. The little droid has placed itself on the center of the furniture, making the pistols look comically large in comparison to its petite metal figure. It’s so busy polishing that it barely notices when Rex takes a seat next to Bane. When it does, it scrambles off the table to make him some coffee. Cad ignores him, but the clone sees him smirk a bit at Todo II when it runs off, so eager to serve despite its insistence on not being a butler droid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How long have you kept it around?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Bane stiffens, but he doesn’t reply or even look at him. The silence stretches on for so long that Rex begins to think that he won’t. Is he still mad at him? Why? He’d sided with </span>
  <span>Obi-Wan </span>
  <span>Ben earlier, which was surprising considering their tendencies to fight about absolutely anything and everything in the galaxy, and he’d seemed genuinely upset for the others sake when Rex chose to prod and question. He still feels a bit bad about that, even though he believes that his reasoning was just. Still, there’d be time to apologize and talk all of this through later. They have a week’s ride back to Tatooine to look forward to, after all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His thoughts are interrupted by Todo II, that push a cup of steaming hot coffee into his empty hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Thank you!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You’re welcome.” The droid chirps, pleased. It had seemed unfamiliar with praise when they’d first arrived on the ship, but has slowly grown more comfortable with it during the course of their stay. Bane obviously doesn’t show it much affection, but he still seems strangely fond of it. It sort of reminds Rex of the duros behavior towards a certain jedi knight… </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Him.” Cad says, and the clone is so surprised that he almost spills his coffee. “Todo goes by him.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh.” Rex turns to Todo II, ashamed. If there’s anything he can relate to, it’s wrongfully being referred to as nothing but an object. “I’m sorry. I’ll use he/him from now on.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s ok.” The droid responds, a bit embarrassed but happy. Then he scurries off to do the dishes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I got him off a scrap-moon six years ago.” Cad continues. “He’s the same model as the old bot I used to keep around, so I fixed him up and reprogrammed him. He’s been on the ship ever since, taking care of the old gal’ with me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh. I didn’t take you for a mechanic.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a lot of things you lot don’t know about me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s the understatement of the year,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Rex thinks and smiles. He takes a swig of his coffee, grimacing slightly at the bitter taste. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So it’s just you and Todo II then? Out in the galaxy hunting bounties together… no business partners, friends, family?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane actually looks at him at that: red eyes glistening with suspicion as he frowns at the clone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I used to work with others, when the job required it. Haven’t really worked in a while though. And I haven’t trusted anyone to watch my back since </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hardeen</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Again with that name, the one he keeps spitting at Kenobi like it’s a curse. Rex makes a mental note to ask Ben about it later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about family?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“What about it?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Well, if I’ve understood it correctly, most people have some kind of ancestors to thank for their general creation. My own is sort of messed up, seeing as I’m a clone and all-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Bane snorts a laugh, making Rex smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“but, unless there’s something big you’re not telling us, you should belong to the lucky people who have parents. Maybe even a sibling or two? Or a partner of your own? You don’t seem like the kids type, but I’ve been wrong before…” his thoughts go, unbidden, to Cut Lawquane and his family on Saleucami. He wonders what happened to him. Is he still out there? Or did order 66 force him from the family he’d made for himself and leave him for dead? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never had an interest in children,” Bane says, putting his now sparkling clean gun down next to the other on the table. “or women, for that matter, so the odds of one happening by accident are real slim. As for the family I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>have, he’s probably dead.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah. Haven’t you heard what the Galactic Empire has been doing on Duro?” He smiles, but there’s no humor in it. Rex watches his eyes go cloudy and unfocused with a sinking feeling in his stomach. “As if the old gasbag wasn’t shitty enough already, the Empire has enslaved the people and are forcing them to bleed the place dry. Apparently we’re a ‘sub-human’-species, incapable to take care of or rule ourselves. So now they make us work in the mines until we die, all in the name of their glorious Empire.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I haven’t heard any news from Duro since the Separatists captured the planet back in the clone wars… how do you know all of this?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well…” Bane’s grin turns almost manic. “Last time I was out flying with Rana, me and Todo II worked with a group of rebels to smuggle durosians the fuck out of there. I don’t have much family to speak of, but when my old man stopped answering my messages I knew that something was wrong… so me and Todo II packed our shit and made our way over there. He used to live on Coruscant, my dad, but once he retired… the stubborn old fool wanted to spend his last years on his home planet. I guess he got his wish, just not in the way he’d envisioned it. This ship was the last thing he gave to me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did you stop?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Hm?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Why did you stop saving people? What made you give up? Your father could still be out there, so why-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Because,” Bane interrupts, heavy and final. “half the people we managed to get out went straight into body bags. If the Empire didn’t shoot the pods down, they’d die in transit more often than not. The people we had on the ground were desperate and the demand to escape was high, so they’d pack too many of them into the escape pods. There was hardly any food, or water, or medical supplies and even when there was they’d-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“...they’d what?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cad looks down at his hands, that keep clenching and unclenching on the surface of the table. Rex watches him take a deep, shuddering breath. The clone can almost see the battle he’s waging inside of himself as he contemplates whether to open himself up to this or not. When he glances at him, the clone gives him a small nod. He’s ready to listen if Bane is ready to talk. He’s such a private person, he probably hasn’t told anyone about this before - but who could understand him better than Rex? After all, his family were all used and then murdered by the Empire as well. And, just like Bane, Rex spent the years following the war trying to save as many of them as he possibly could, against impossible odds. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“We’d find them drifting through the vacuum of space, weeks or even months after they’d been launched,” he finally says, making Rex release a breath he wasn’t aware that he was holding. “there’s no way to send safe transmissions from the planet, so all we could do was patrol the area as often as we could with the Empire breathing down our necks… once we’d find them, they were packed together like animals, so close they couldn’t move. Somewhere along the way they’d run out of oxygen, and died choking on their own breaths.” Absent-mindedly, Bane touches the breathing tubes attached to his cheeks. “That’s when I realized that there’s no fighting the Empire. And that I’d rather die than serve them.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...now it’s your turn to share. What </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>happened to the clone army? And how did you survive it?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“ugnnhhh… Kenobi?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben just about jumps out of his skin as he hurries to close the gap in the doorway. It slams shut with a ‘BAM’, probably alerting everyone on the ship (and the galaxy) to the fact that he’s been eavesdropping. Brilliant. Just… brilliant. Mind still swimming with the things he’s learned, Ben swivels around to face Ventress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s half sitting, half lying on the floor, hands tied back with mandalorian manacles to keep her from using the force. She’s looking tired but angry as hell. Suddenly, Ben is feeling tired as well. It’s been a long day, he’s got the beginning of a headache pounding beneath his temples and he’s not sure if he’s up for the verbal beat down he knows that he’s about to get. Before he’s had the chance to get as much as a word in, she’s made it into a sitting position. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you taking me?!” She demands, razor sharp as ever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looks at her for a while, contemplating his alternatives. He could just </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie, </span>
  </em>
  <span>like he’s been doing so far to Bane and, now, Rex. But he’s getting so sick of all the charades… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve made a deal with the Hutts.” he responds finally, opting for the truth. Worst case, he can just have her gagged. “I don’t know what you’ve done to get on Jabba’s bad side, but he’s sponsoring this entire trip just to get to you. Once you’re in his custody, he’ll call off the hunt that the Crimson Dawn has on Ahsoka.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, Kenobi…” she drawls, and there’s something so condescending in her voice that his blood runs cold. “how could you have fallen so low? This is obviously a trap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course it’s a trap,” Ben sighs, rolling his eyes at her. “I’ll handle that part when we get to it.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Do the others know? I can’t imagine that they’d be stupid enough to go along with this if they did. And how are you planning to ‘handle it’ exactly? Like you handled me? You’d be dead by my hands by now if you hadn’t had your friends to help you. Do you really think they’ll put their lives on the line for you again after they find out that they’ve been deceived?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rex will understand as long as Ahsoka is safe. And Bane only cares about getting paid.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that what you tell yourself at night, Kenobi? Does it help you sleep? You don’t look like you’ve been getting much of it lately.” Ben grits his teeth. “Don’t worry though, you’re still as pretty as ever. A bit rougher around the edges, perhaps, but I kind of like the unkempt look. Especially the beard, it reminds me of my old master. That old snake was a very convincing liar as well.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gags her. This unfortunately leaves him alone with his feelings, the darkness of the storage unit and her silently glaring face. By the time Rex comes to change him off, his mind is spinning with unpleasant thoughts. So, before he leaves Ventress with the clone, he turn to him and ask: </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“How did you do it? How did you save your brothers?” What he doesn’t ask is “how did Ahsoka do it, how did she save you?” What he doesn’t ask is “Why couldn’t I save Cody?”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both hear it anyway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“General… please trust me when I say this: even with all of your power, there was nothing you could have done.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bane finds Ben cursing at himself in the bathroom twenty minutes after Rex went in to guard Ventress. He’s standing in front of the mirror, beard covered in foam, knife in hand and a small stream of blood trickling down his lips. Before he knows what he’s doing, Bane forces his way inside and plucks the knife from his hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Ben complains. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, shut it, Kenobi! You’ll do nothing but hurt yourself if you try to shave in this state of mind-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Bane I’m forty three years old, I can take care of myself-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Sit down</b>
  <span> and let me do this for you, Ben.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The jedi give him a perplexed look, making Bane realize just how close they’re standing, huddled together in the bathroom. Heart pounding in his chest and suddenly feeling all too </span>
  <em>
    <span>seen</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he takes a step back into the common room and diverts his gaze to the floor. Before he’s figured out what to say next, Ben brushes past him. The human goes into the room and pulls out a chair to sit on, looking at the durosian expectantly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane snags a towel on his way over. Once in position, he uses it to cover Kenobi’s torso. As his hands run across the expanse of his chest, he realizes that this is the first truly private moment they’ve had together since he hired him. The last time they were alone, Bane spent most of his time on his back in the human’s bed. Somehow, that memory feels more… tender, now. More private. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He quickly pat down the rest of the towel in an attempt to distract himself, hoping against all odds that the dark blue flush that’s flowering over his face isn’t visible. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you even know how to do this? Last time I… </span>
  <em>
    <span>checked, </span>
  </em>
  <span>durosians don’t grow body hair.” Ben says, looking at him with something strange in his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane huffs, even as he takes the first, tentative swipe of the knife against Ben’s cheek. He really hadn’t considered how close they have to be to do this, the proximity is making his tongue feel clumsy and his thoughts muddled. And yet there’s something incredibly tempting, something that’s possibly originating in his reptilian instincts, about leaning in to the heat that’s emitting from the human’s body. He wonders what Ben would say if he knew that he’s fantasizing about using him as a living basking spot. Though the fancy is ridiculous, he’d be lying if he said that it’s the first time he’s entertained it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please.” He scoffs, returning to their conversation. “I grew up watching my old man groom rich human males,” he </span>
  <em>
    <span>must </span>
  </em>
  <span>be getting old, this is the second time in a day that he’s talked about his father. He frowns and takes another swipe at Kenobi’s cheek, fast but precise, careful not to cut. They’re so close that they’re practically breathing the same air. “now don’t talk or I’ll hurt you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think you will,” Ben says as Bane wipes the foam off on the towel, and the airy quality of his voice makes the duros stomach flip. Ridiculous, he chastises himself, he’s a grown man and yet here he is, acting like some lovestruck tween! “I trust you. Just don’t give me a goatee, please,” Ben laughs, but it doesn’t sound happy. “I’m trying to move away from the villainesque look.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane raises a non-existent eyebrow. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Villainesque?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah just… just get it all off of me. Please.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane looks into his eyes, searching for… he doesn’t even know what he’s searching for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright.” He won’t ask what prompted this. The situation feels fragile enough as is, like a single misstep will break it, break </span>
  <em>
    <span>them, </span>
  </em>
  <span>whatever they are. And, for some inscrutable reason, Cad really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>doesn’t want that. So instead he leans back down, inserting himself into Kenobi’s space, and gets to work. Bane quickly loses himself in the rhythm of it all, working his way across Ben’s face with the practiced patience of an artist, careful not to draw blood. They talk, occasionally, in between the strokes of the knife, the flow of their breaths and the impossibly gentle touches. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I listened to you, earlier.” Ben confesses, at one point. “I heard what you did after the war.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No shit.” Bane chuckles, remembering the way that the storage door had shut so abruptly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you were out there saving people while I spent five years drinking and shooting with tusken raiders.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t beat yourself up about it,” the duros reassures the vulnerable look in Ben’s eyes. He runs a finger down the cut below his nose, tracing it, gently, all the way down to the human’s upper lip. “the Empire turned the whole galaxy upside down. Everyone knows that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At some point Ben’s hands find themselves in the fabric of Bane’s shirt, like he’s scared that he’ll take off running. The duros don’t mind, they don’t disturb him while he’s working and, in a strange way, they feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>right </span>
  </em>
  <span>there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sorry about what I did to you as Rako Hardeen.” Ben says, almost breaking the tentative bubble of </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>they’ve created for themselves. “I wouldn’t do it again, but it was the right thing to do at the time. I had to betray you. And I’m pretty sure that you, at the time, would have done the same to me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bane takes a deep breath, then releases it into a shaky laugh. It feels good. It feels like absolution. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. Honestly, I was just mad cuz’ I’d spent half my time with Hardeen thinking about pushing him against the closest wall and having my way with him, and then he turned out to be… well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben laughs back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Truth be told, I would have been more than willing if you’d done it after saving me in the Box. I blamed it on adrenaline at the time, but you looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>good, I was ready to hang up my jedi cloak right then and there!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Laughing turns out to be easier than forming coherent thoughts after that, so Bane buries his face in Ben’s shoulder until he’s all out of breath to snicker with. The jedi is laughing as well, open and happier than he’s heard him in a long time (possibly ever), and the feeling of it reverberating against Cad’s chest is making his heart soar. He takes a moment to simply listen and breathe him in. The human is warm beneath his touch, smelling like sandalwood and salt, and Bane can’t seem to be able to get enough even when his face is half-shaved and ridiculous-looking.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Some undeterminable time later, Cad finishes shaving the last of the facial hair off of Kenobi’s chin. He places the knife on the table with a heavy heart, thinking about how he doesn’t want this to end, and how big of a fool that makes him. The hands leave their position in his shirt and it feels like they took a piece of him with them. He remembers their first time together: there’d been no illusions as to what or who they were to each other back then. But it’s all muddled now, and Cad finds himself fearing the uncertainty of it all almost as much as he finds it exciting. He wants to take the humans hands and hold them through the night. He wants to withdraw and dismiss all of this with a laugh, continuing on as they have so far. He wants to trace Ben’s scars with his lips and chase whatever demons ail him away. He wants to pack his things and flee far, far away from here. But then he looks back at the human, and the softness in Ben’s blue eyes root him to the spot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, almost reverently, Bane closes the distance between them to pick the towel from his shoulders and wipe any remaining foam off of the human’s cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, Cad… I need to tell you something.” Ben says, so low that it’s almost a whisper. His eyes keep flickering to Bane’s lips. The realization lights a fire in him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can it wait?” Cad asks, voice soft but hungry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” the human hesitates, eyes flickering briefly before they find their way back to the duros. “yes.” he breathes, finally. “I suppose it can.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he’s had the chance to think, the durosian closes the distance between them to brush his lips against Ben’s. It’s a brief, fickle thing, soft and painfully sweet, yet somehow enough to open a floodgate of </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>please </span>
  </em>
  <span>in him. Still, he withdraws, giving Ben just enough space to pull back if he changes his mind. It’s meant, foolishly hopeful, as a pause, not an end. For a minute, an hour, eternity, they simply breathe an inch away from each other. But just as Bane begins to second guess himself and pull away, Ben’s hands find their place in the fabric of his shirt again. Before he knows it the human is diving in for another kiss, easily parring Cad’s want with his own. As their lips open to one another the duros buries his hands in Ben’s hair, threading and massaging his scalp while the jedi takes charge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hunger in him is making Bane’s head swim. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ben…” he whispers in between the kisses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” he answers, making something in the duros unravel and break away. It feels painful but liberating. Sad but impossibly joyous. “I know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It feels like learning to breathe again.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*insert eye-emoji here* - you know the one</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 'cause what is simple in the moonlight by the morning never is</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>and I'm not sure what the trouble was that started all of this <br/>the reasons all have run away <br/>but the feeling never did <br/>It's not something I'd recommend <br/>but it is one way to live <br/>'cause what is simple in the moonlight by the morning never is - Bright Eyes: Lua<br/>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSBs-hiapo4</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The road back to Tatooine is another seven day ride through hyperspace. Cad spends this time plotting for how to deal with Jabba’s inevitable betrayal with Kenobi and Rex, keeping Ventress alive but securely tied up in the storage unit (she’s been a real nuisance so far. She bit Rex in the shoulder the first time the clone removed her gag, and kicked Todo II out of the air like he was a fly when the droid had gone in to collect some toiletries. But mostly she just sleeps or glares at them) and sneaking kisses with Ben behind the clones back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They don’t talk much, unless it involves battle tactics. There’s just… too many things to say, and questions like </span>
  <em>
    <span>what are we? What does this mean? Why does every touch-kiss-fond look feel like learning how to fly all over again with the fear of the fall and the impossible happiness </span>
  </em>
  <span>frankly terrifies him. It’s dangerous territory, is what it is, especially considering who they are and how little they trust each other. Bane wants to believe that Ben won’t hurt him, but old habits die hard, and every time he’s pushed into a corner for a kiss there’s a small part of him that scream for him to fight back before he gets run through by the cold, sterile heat of Kenobi’s lightsaber. He still won’t remove his breathing tubes. He still won’t go near the bedrooms. The human seems to notice his apprehension and before long Cad is the one pushing Ben into corners and against walls, calling the shots as to when, where and how to initiate affection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The human is making it </span>
  <b>so damn difficult </b>
  <span>not to trust him. And infuriatingly challenging to focus on the upcoming task at hand: dealing with Jabba the Hutt. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Bane has made a lot of high end deals with the Hutt-clans in the past and knows from experience just how crafty they are. He even speaks a bit of Hutteese, even though the language doesn’t entirely agree with his vocal cords, which makes him vital to the plan that goes as follows: </span>
</p><ol>
<li><span>Bane gets in early under the guise of job-hunting. He scouts the area and reports back to the others that are hiding together with Todo II and Ena-Rana somewhere on the surface of Tatooine. Bane gets close to and gains the confidence of Rotta the Hutt. </span></li>
<li><span>Ben and Rex deliver Ventress to Jabba, hopefully in exchange for Ahsoka, the credits that they’ve been promised and without any of the trouble that they’re expecting. </span></li>
<li><span>If (when) everything goes to shit, Bane takes Rotta hostage and use the hutt-spawn to get both their reward and free passage the fuck out of there. </span></li>
</ol><p>
  <span>It’s not exactly an honorable plan, kidnapping a kid, but Bane’s done worse in the past, and the way things are looking right now makes this their best chance to get in and out of Jabba’s temple in three intact pieces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s mostly surprised that the jedi agreed to it so quickly. Maybe they can learn to trust one another after all. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s lying to you,” Ventress hisses for the umpteemth time. Rex rolls his eyes. They’re sitting huddled together on the storage unit floor, forced uncomfortably close as the clone is tending to the blaster-wound on her side with a medical lotion. “but you already know that, don’t you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rex doesn’t bother answering. He’d rather get this over and done with as soon as possible, thank you very much. Besides, it’s not like she ever listens to him anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>During the past four days this has become a routine of sorts. While on guard duty, Rex will remove her gag under the pretense of feeding and giving her water. It goes without saying that he doesn’t put it back on until Bane takes over two hours later. It just… doesn’t feel right. Even if he does get bit. And, besides, the silence gets really boring after a while. Then, he’ll tend to her wound while she foolishly attempts to turn him against one of his oldest, closest friends with her lies and her snake:ish charm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re making a mistake,” she’d said, the first time they’d talked. “Ahsoka is back on Coruscant. Your precious, honorable general Kenobi is leading you into a trap.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ridiculous. As if Ben would take him on such a crazed goosechase, endangering their friend by leaving her without protection, just to put Ventress behind bars and pay off a debt to a bounty hunter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But every now and then, the assassin will say something that strikes a coord in him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you think it’s a bit… </span>
  <em>
    <span>convenient, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that Kenobi just </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened </span>
  </em>
  <span>to run into that strange, grumpy durosian…” she rolls her head around in lieu of her tied up hands. “what’s his name again?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Bane.” the clone grunts, trying to navigate around her movements. “Cad Bane.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the one. Does Kenobi really expect us to believe that he just </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be on Tatooine at the same time as you were, without the jedi’s knowledge? Ouch. OUCH! What are you doing to me, you testtube cretin?!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Sit still, you big baby, and let me finish this!” Rex bites back, annoyed as he pulls away to retrieve a piece of medical gauze for her wound. It may be primitive, but it’s all they have aboard the ship. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fall into a deep silence while he works to patch her up, giving (unfortunate) space for his thoughts to roam. Rex may be loyal to a fault, but he’s not an idiot: the nightmarish events at Umbara made sure to wipe any and all blind obedience out of him, long ago. And so, besides himself, the gears in the clone’s head begin to turn… What is the nature of Kenobi and Bane’s current relationship? Why did he lie to him about not knowing anyone on Tatooine? Thinking this way is making Rex feel incredibly silly, like he and Ventress are a couple of teenagers gossiping. Besides, even </span>
  <em>
    <span>if </span>
  </em>
  <span>Bane and Kenobi are involved in some way then this wouldn’t be the first secret relationship Rex has had to deal with! But if the jedi is lying about this, then what else might he be lying about? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is-” Bane grunts between the kisses, “a bit more” Ben finds himself pressed harder against the wall, head swimming with lust. Cad tastes like mint and copper: cool, dangerous and intoxicating with a faint aftertaste of blood, “difficult than I imagined.” Having the bounty hunter pressed against himself, coarse tongue in his mouth, hands roaming, is addictive. Ben never wants it to end. And still, he can’t help but tease him, just a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you spend a lot of time imagining what it would be like to kiss me?” He grins against Cad’s lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up.” The duros grunts back. He’d seem angry if he wasn’t betrayed by the mirroring grin on his own face. The sight makes something in Ben’s lower stomach tug before Bane distracts him with another kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unlike Ben’s own blunt set of human teeth, evolved to chew mainly vegetables and other plant matter, durosians are entirely carnivorous by nature. This means that Bane’s got a set of very sharp fangs, that turn out to be particularly perilous when Ben is so busy kissing him that he forgets to think (a regular occurrence these days). He’s also got a very coarse, blue tongue that does strange things to the humans insides whenever he catches himself contemplating it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like, for example, now. Kenobi groans a bit, pulling back before he’s had the chance to do something stupid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve always been one to jump at the prospect of a challenge, though.” He chuckles and begin to trace kisses up Bane’s neckline. “I’m certainly </span>
  <em>
    <span>jumping </span>
  </em>
  <span>one now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uuuuuuughh, shut UP!” Bane cups his jawline with both hands, surprisingly gentle, and pulls him back in for another searing kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As well as the physical challenges, they have to be careful not to alert Rex to this newly added ‘benefit’, to their relationship, something that would have been a lot easier if Bane wasn’t so insistent on never setting foot in either of the bedrooms. He seems to get… tense, in cramped spaces. The durosian won’t even guard Ventress without an open door to the storage unit, which opens up a whole can of questions that Kenobi doesn’t feel entirely in the right to voice, considering his own secrets. He’ll let Cad take charge instead, shoving Ben against walls or behind corners to kiss whenever the clone isn’t around, hands roaming but, curiously, never moving beneath the waist. Luckily, Rex is on his designated guard-duty at the moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s peculiar, really, how much more shy and guarded they court now than back when they were just fucking. Though his mind often finds itself wandering back to those days, </span>
  <span>particularly in the solitude of his own bedroom</span>
  <span>, the jedi wouldn’t trade places with Past!Ben for the world. Or, well, he suppose that some things were easier back then…  The lying, for one thing, didn’t feel nearly as convoluted. Though Ben still hasn’t exactly </span>
  <em>
    <span>opened up</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Bane, about his feelings, or his thoughts, or anything but his physical mouth to the others really, this new, almost tentative intimacy to their relationship keeps leaving him feeling raw. When they’re together he’s high with it, he can’t seem to get enough, and Cad mirrors the enthusiasm. But when he’s alone, Ben’s mind begin to whirl with doubt and, worst of all, guilt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He keeps</span>
  <span> trying to convince</span>
  <span> telling himself that it’s not because he’s lying to the other. No, it’s because whenever he close his eyes and his mind trails to the durosian on the other side of the door, he remembers his old masters teachings: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jedi aren’t supposed to form strong emotional attachments. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>The jedi aren’t supposed to form strong emotional attachments. </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his attempts to guide Anakin in accordance with the Jedi Order, Obi-Wan was always awful at following their commands himself, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Ultimately, it’s caused him nothing but grief, beginning with Qui Gon Jinn, who always taught him to listen to his emotions, not his mind, and then died when the galaxy </span>
  <span>he and Anakin</span>
  <span> needed him most. Obi-Wan promised himself to Satine and she perished in his arms. Obi-Wan raised Anakin like a brother and then watched him burn. Obi-Wan took a chance, daring himself to fall in love again with Cody, only to lose him to the Empire. He doesn’t fancy Ben’s odds at love to be that much better, especially not when his object of affection is a morally ambiguous bounty hunter with a thing for killing force users. Besides, the durosian sold him out to Hondo, as if he needed another reason not to trust him. Forgetting about that, like he’d nearly done before their first kiss, may very well cost them this entire operation. Or even his life. So he’s </span>
  <b>not </b>
  <span>feeling guilty about lying to him. </span>
</p><p><span>He’s guilty about his own affections and how strong they burn, despite the jedi orders teachings. What would master Qui Gon think about the way Ben’s heartbeat quickens whenever he catches Bane’s eyes, or how addictively light he feels when he manages to coax a laugh out of him? What would he think about the way Ben’s hands keep twisting into the fabric of the durosians shirt like they belong there, or of the flutter that erupts in his stomach</span> <span>whenever the bounty hunter ends each long, heated kiss with a small, brief one: like a signature? </span><span><br/></span><span>“Where’s your head at, Kenobi?” Cad grunts, kissing his way up the humans stubbly jawline. </span></p><p>
  <span>“I was just thinking…” the duros outright </span>
  <em>
    <span>nuzzles </span>
  </em>
  <span>him, making Ben grin. “was just thinking about how affectionate you’ve been since you gave me that shave. Do you like me clean-shaven THAT much, Bane?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate it.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“What?!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bane pulls back to glare at him, red eyes gleaming with a twister of emotions that Ben can’t even begin to name. There’s some humor in there though, he can tell. The realization sends a spark of joy through him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It highlights your weak chin.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aaahahaha wow,” he laughs, incredulous. “There’s really no pleasing anybody, is there?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the end of day six on their journey, Rex has had enough. His mind is spinning with questions, leaving him feeling restless and on guard. His paranoia is only worsened by the other two’s strange behavior: they seem hyper-aware of each other’s movements lately, as Rex keeps catching them throwing these odd, lingering looks at one another when they think no one notices, and they haven’t been fighting all week. This could, of course, be a side-effect of The Talk Rex had with them last time they wouldn’t behave, but he still finds it suspicious that their behavior has changed so drastically in such little time. So, if only to calm himself before they reach Tatooine, the clone decides that it’s time to confront Ben about his suspicions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally catches the jedi alone in the control room. He’s sitting in Bane’s chair, reading one of the books he brought along for the journey. The durosian is on guard duty. Rex closes the door behind him when he enters, making Ben look up with an inquisitive look on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that this is going to sound crazy but…” Rex hurries to say, before he loses his guts. “I’ve been talking to Ventress, and we both agree that there’s some things about your story that doesn’t add up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben smiles, going for amused but unable to hide the tension that finds its way into his limbs. The jedi puts his book away and sits up taller, making Rex straighten his back as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t Anakin teach you not to trust kidnapped dathomir witches?” He jokes. The clone won’t have it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That hat in your house at Tatooine… that was Bane’s hat, wasn’t it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I…” Ben frowns, looking concerned now. He’s onto something. “Rex what makes you think that?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You told me that you weren’t in contact with anyone on Tatooine but you obviously knew that Bane was there at the bar that day. Don’t even bother denying it, I’m not an idiot.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is he threatening you? Do you owe him some sort of a debt from earlier? Is that why you won’t use your lightsaber?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“He’s not… no, no, he’s got nothing to do with that.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Then why are you-? Why do you keep insisting on lying to me? What </span>
  <em>
    <span>else </span>
  </em>
  <span>are you lying to me about?! We can’t fight the Hutts together unless we trust each other, and our cooperation won’t work if you keep hiding things from me-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Ben cuts him off and Rex feels like all the air has gone out of him at those two, damning words. He was right. Obi-Wan </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>hiding things from him, he’s been lying to him all along, and he never should have contacted him, he should have gone out there and found Ahsoka on his own, shouldn’t have trusted anyone but himself, his brothers and her, he’s been such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fool</span>
  </em>
  <span>! “I know, I’m sorry. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>been lying to you.” Ben continues, breaking through the maelstrom in Rex's mind. He watches the jedi draw a deep, trembling breath. “Ahsoka is still on Coruscant. We left her behind.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Why?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To keep her safe. Jabba promised me that she would be under his protection if I delivered Ventress to him. And we need the bounty if we’re going to pay Bane…” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You should have told me! We were so close to her and you… we could have met her.” Suddenly he finds himself missing her so much it hurts. His little sister. Their </span>
  <em>
    <span>snips. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her absence is like a physical wound in him. “We could have talked to her. Taken her with us. She could have helped us with this mess, but instead you- you deceived us.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I know. I know, Rex, and I’m sorry. I really am. I know how much this must hurt, but I… I hope that you can trust my judgement about it. I was only trying to keep her safe and… at the side of Anakin’s child. For as long as possible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The maelstrom goes silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rex mind blanks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembers the bump on Padmé’s belly as the singularly most important, closely guarded secret he’s ever kept. He’d made sure that Anakin read up on proper childcare and helped him check in on his pregnant wife during the last months of the clone wars. They’d told him she died, and for all of these years he’d assumed that the child she carried perished with her. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“The child… survived?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Children. They’re twins.” Ben gives Rex a gentle smile. This changes everything. “I oversaw their birth myself. Padme used her last breath to name them... Leia is on Coruscant. She was adopted by Bale Organa and is being guarded by Ahsoka. Luke is back on Tatooine, with Anakin’s family. I’m the one guarding him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I can’t believe this, I…” Ben gets up from his place in the chair to wipe the tears off Rex's face. He hadn’t even noticed that he was crying. “can I see him? I don’t have to meet him but-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yes. Yes of course, my friend. I’ll take you to him once this mess is over.” He allows the jedi to gather his hands in his. “I’m sorry to have kept all of this from you.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“That’s alright.” Rex smiles back through the tears. The happiness he feels is so sharp, so all consuming, that it almost hurts. How could it be anything but alright now that he knows that two pieces of his best friends are alive, healthy and thriving out there in the galaxy? What could possibly be more important than their safety? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They gather each other up in a long, warm hug and talk about tiny Luke Skywalker, five years old and already working on a podracer, until two hours have passed and it’s Ben’s turn to guard Ventress. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tatooine, with all the horrors of Jabba’s palace, but also the promise of Anakin’s son, is only a few hours away. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is definitely the chapter that I struggled with the most. I'm still not sure if I like it? I keep reading and re-reading it and I always end up with a different opinion about it. Ah well, hopefully you guys enjoyed it! Sometimes you just gotta yeet your writing into the universe and hope for the best. </p><p>The chapters are only going to get longer and longer from now on (and more intense - you can think of this one as the silence before the storm), and since we're halfway through I'll go back to my first schedule and only post new chapters on thursdays to really drag this out ;) </p><p>Now hit that kudos-button, leave me a comment and/or come hang out with me @ tumblr here: https://reaperduckling.tumblr.com/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Ain't it warming you, the world going up in flames?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNING: this chapter contains violence against a child. If this isn't something you wanna read then I'd recommend skipping the passage following this:<br/>“Jabba?” He asks, raising an eyebrow towards the Hutt lord. </p><p>If I was born as a black thorn tree<br/>I’d wanna be felled by you,<br/>held by you,<br/>fuel the pyre of your enemies<br/>Ain’t it warming you, the world going up in flames? - Hozier: NFWMB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi6pLTrx94Q</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The interior of Jabba’s palace is dark, crowded and deceptively large. The underground tunnels are winding and plentiful, digging into the dusty earth like the roots of an old tree, desperate for water. Unfortunately for Bane’s nose, the whole place has the same sickly sweet smell to it (like rotting fruit, or decomposing bodies covered in perfume) as the last time he was here. Unfortunately for his host, he’s memorized the Hutt-tunnels like the back of his hat. He knows exactly where to go to reach his little hostage-to-be. </p><p>Making his way down through the twisting, dim tunnels of the palace, Bane thinks back to his meeting with Jabba the Hutt. The experience had been as unpleasant as usual. </p><p>“Cad Bane,” the ancient crime lord had said, voice deep and rumbling as he addressed the bounty hunter in front of the entirety of his entourage. Even though Cad understands the language, the protocol droid at Jabba’s side translated his words into basic for the sake of the many others present. “It’s been a long time since you last showed your face around here. My men thought you were dead, or working for the Empire.” <br/>“I’m afraid the Empire doesn’t take too kindly to my kind,” Bane responded in basic. He’d been leaning, mock-casual, against a pillar, refusing to be intimidated. “I’ve been laying low for a while now, staying out of trouble.” <br/>“Then why are you here?” <br/>“Well,” he’d grinned. “turns out that retirement doesn’t suit me. Drinking all night and sleeping ‘til noon gets real boring after a while. Besides, I need cash if I’m to continue my luxurious lifestyle.” Cad got up from the pillar and walked up to Jabba’s throne, completely ignoring the threatening rumbles that elicited from his bodyguards. “So, you got a job for me, or what?” <br/>“I don’t,” Jabba rumbled, sleazy voice laced with humor. “but I know someone else who does.” </p><p>Bane suddenly finds himself stumbling over a rock on the ground, into the wall. He swears beneath his breath, mind spinning with thoughts. The old slug had offered him 500 000 credits. 500 000 credits and, possibly, a permanent position with the Crimson Dawn, for the capture of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Though he’s not interested in working for the criminal organization, that amount of money would be enough for Cad to retire in comfort! And the only thing he has to do is tell Jabba of their plan, subdue the jedi once he and Rex have dropped off Ventress and deliver him to Dryden Vos. Defeating them should be the simplest thing in the galaxy: they trust him, and he knows their weaknesses. </p><p>So why does it feel like the walls are closing in around him? </p><p>He stands there in the hallway for a while, conflict warring within him, before he snarls out another curse, makes sure that no one is around and boots up his earphone. </p><p>“Bane?” Kenobi answers immediately and the worry in his voice is making the tangle in Cad’s chest loosen. Despite himself, he finds himself smiling. “Bane are you alright? What’s going on, do you need assistance?” </p><p>“Calm down there, starstuff,” the endearment slips out of him before he can stop it, but once it’s out he finds that he doesn’t regret it. He doesn’t regret <em> this </em> . “I’m not in any trouble, but you’re about to be. Change of plans: you can’t come here.” <br/>“What are you talking about?” <br/>“ <em> Maud </em> or whatever his name is-” <br/>“Maul.” </p><p>“put a price on your head, and it’s real juicy. Now as I understand it, you and Jabba have some sort of arrangement, but even if he <em> does </em>adhere to that that doesn’t mean his people will. If you walk in through that door, there’s a very real possibility that you won’t walk back out if it.” </p><p>“That’s not exactly anything new.” </p><p>“Yeah, well, my will to keep you alive and in one piece <em> is </em>, so, please, shut up, stop it with your idiotic jedi heroics for one second, sit back and let me and Rex handle this.” </p><p>“I-” </p><p>“No. I don’t have time for this, just… no! Talk to Rex. And I swear to Rana, if I see you walk through that door I will blast you between the eyes and collect the reward for myself!” </p><p>“Bane-” <br/>“I need to go.” <br/>“Bane, wait, <b>Cad</b>…!” Something in the human’s voice gives Bane pause. He takes a deep breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop with a thundering heart. “Be careful out there.” </p><p>Slowly, he releases the breath he was holding. </p><p>Close his eyes. </p><p>Take a moment to simply listen to Ben through the earphone: the faint sound of his breathing, the way he seems to be fiddling with something (one of his books, perhaps? He hopes he doesn’t tear a page or they’ll never hear the end of it). Knowing that the human is there, on his ship, hidden out of harm’s way and only a call away, fill Bane with a sense of deep calm. </p><p>They can do this. </p><p>He opens his eyes. <br/>“I’ll see you on the other side of this mess,” he says, smiling. “And once we’ve got the money I’ll take you to our bar again, drinks on me.” <br/>“Now <em> that’s </em>how you proposition a man.” Ben laughs, reminding Cad of their very first encounter on Tatooine. Who would have thought that they’d end up like this? His cheeks are beginning to hurt from smiling. “I’m looking forward to it.” </p><p>They end the call and Bane get back to his mission with a renewed sense of determination. </p><p>Finding Rotta’s nursery isn’t difficult. Making his way past the guards proves even simpler, especially with a little help from his contact-stunner. He opens the doors to the nursery using one of the guards keys and makes his way inside. The room is one of the largest chambers in the palace, filled from floor to ceiling with a menagerie of colourful toys, pillows and stuffed alien plushies. It’s, as far as Bane has experienced, the only room with proper light (though it’s still somewhat muted, to protect the hutts sensitive eyes), and the first place in the palace that doesn’t reek of death. It’s a bit stuffy, but the sweetness doesn’t smell as sickly. After some time searching the room, he finally finds the baby huddled underneath a pile of purple pillows. </p><p>“Hello there, friend.” Bane says in huttese, sitting down on the ground. He makes sure to be close, but not close enough to appear threatening. </p><p>Rotta the Hutt babbles something back to him in what he can only assume is baby interpretation of huttese. The durosian gives him (what he hopes is) his least threatening, close lipped smile. Truth be told, he’s always felt really awkward around babies. </p><p>“Sorry to drag you into this mess, but me and my partners are gonna need to borrow you for a little while.” He looks around the big, beautiful nursery. It really has everything that a child needs. And everything that it doesn’t. Bane thinks back to his own father and how guilty he’d felt over their poverty, the way Cad’s clothes were always hand-me-downs and how the few toys he’d had came from charity organizations. Meanwhile, the children of the wealthy humans his father groomed were playing in chambers like this one. Bane swallows around the bitterness, struggling not to let it show in front of the baby. “Truth is, there’s nothing in the galaxy that your old man loves as much as you. I think that… think that might just be a dad-thing, really. Or it should be, at least.” </p><p>Slowly, Rotta crawls out of his pile of pillows, into Bane’s awaiting lap. The durosian gives himself a moment to smile down at the little runt, before he powers up his earphone again. </p><p>“Hello? Anyone there?” <br/>“Bane! How’s it going over there?” Rex voice answers. </p><p>“I’ve got the kid. Now you need to get your ass over here before they notice something’s up.” <br/>“Affirmative, I’ll get Ventress.” <br/>“Oh, and Rex?” <br/>“Yeah?” <br/>“In case Kenobi didn’t tell you, there’s a big price on his head now, a lot bigger than the one they’ve got on the bald bitch. Make sure that he stays on the ship.” </p><p>“He did tell me, actually. And he’s agreed to stay behind.” </p><p>“What?!” <br/>“Yeah. I was really surprised myself but… something you said must have really gotten through to him.” </p><p>“Oh.” </p><p>There’s that feeling again: a tightness inside his chest, a knot full of warmth threatening to spill as it uncoils. He breathes around it, carefully unraveling and letting the tendrils of emotion pass him by. In the end, he’s left with a deep sense of calm. They can do this. </p><p>
  <b>They can do this. </b>
</p><p>When he comes back to himself, he finds that Rotta is exploring the gauntlet on his arm. He quickly pulls it out of reach from the kid, before he accidentally hurts someone. </p><p>“What did you say to make him listen?” Rex asks. <br/>“Nothing, I just… told him I’d like it better if he didn’t die.” <br/>“Oh.” <br/>“What?” <br/>“Nothing.” <br/>“What?!” <br/>“No it’s just… kind of sweet, coming from you.” <br/>“Kind of sweet?!” <br/>“Yeah. Like a love confession.” <br/>“... <b>shut up</b> and get your ass over here, clone.” </p><p>“Yes, sir!” Rex laughs, Bane curses and Rotta spit up all over the durosians jacket. </p><p>Great. </p><p>Just… great. </p><p>Turns out that babies are just as messy as feelings. </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>Back on Ena-Rana, Ben sits in the control room together with Todo II, watching as Rex and Ventress disappear across the sandy dunes of Tatooine. He’s got the lightsabers strapped to his right side, the tusken revolver on his left and a very, <em> very </em>bad feeling about all of this churning through his guts. The irony of it all does not escape him: he’s the one who got them into this mess, and yet he’s the one that’s hiding, safe from whatever danger awaits them in Jabba’s palace. Every atom in his body is urging him to go after them, to protect them in whatever ways he can. But he also realizes that, with such a massive bounty on his head, he’d probably only put them all in more danger by going. And so, he sits back and waits. There’s a strange cold coming… </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>As expected, Jabba’s gamorrean guards collect Rex blasters at the door before leading them inside. Being stripped of it makes the clone feel naked and vulnerable, but that doesn’t stop him from raising his head high and walking with purpose. Even unarmed, he’s every bit the soldier that he spent his life embodying: proud, strong and loyal. He believes in the plan and in his companions, just like he’d trusted general Skywalker’s tactics and his brothers to cover him in combat back in the day. </p><p>If the old slug doesn’t cooperate, Bane will make sure that he’s sorry. </p><p>“You’re making a mistake,” Ventress hiss beside him as they’re shuffled through the dark hallways of Jabba’s palace. “you’re going to get us all killed!” </p><p>“Quiet.” <br/>“No, clone, you don’t understand! There’s something wrong here, something <em> off </em>with the force-” </p><p>They’re led into the main chamber before she’s had the chance to elaborate. The room is packed with people of all kinds, crowding it’s shady edges and talking to each other in hushed, low voices. He searches the room, but can’t find Bane anywhere. There’s an air of trepidation all around, making the hairs at the back of Rex neck stand up as they’re led to Jabba’s throne. </p><p>The Hutt turns to look at them with something dangerous in his dark, beady eyes, before they focus on Ventress and turn outright predatory. The woman snarls and Rex takes a small, almost imperceptible step forward to cover her, instincts urging him to <em> protect </em>. </p><p>Jabba says something in his larger than life, rumbling voice. The protocol droid translates. <br/>“I understand that you’ve been sent here on behalf of Obi-Wan Kenobi.”   </p><p>“That’s right, my lord.” Rex says, making sure to look the old slug right in the eyes. No matter the circumstances, he refuses to cower. “I’ve come to deliver Assajj Ventress, in accordance with the deal you had with general Kenobi. And I expect to be rewarded.” </p><p>The world seems to still for a long, dangerous moment. </p><p>Jabba looks out over his entourage, studying their shadowed faces as he contemplates Rex's demands. The clone takes the opportunity to glance over at the crowd to his sides. Still no sign of Bane. He swallows, attempting to calm his thundering heart. What if Jabba turns on him and the durosian don't show up? What if the reason Bane made Rex and Kenobi split up was a ruse to ease their capture? The clone won’t make it far trying to fight his way out of the palace without a weapon. But he sure as hell won’t go without a fight! </p><p>He glances down at Ventress’ shackled hands. Worst case, he can always break her out of them. She’d make a pretty good distraction, wreaking havoc on the place using the force as he makes his escape. </p><p>“Of course.” Jabba finally breaks the silence, startling Rex out of his thoughts. “A deal is a deal.”</p><p>And then, suddenly, something cold and dark makes its way over the clone’s body. </p><p>There’s something <b>someone </b> coming. <b>Someone </b>impossibly powerful, fueled by hatred, rage and fear - the essence of the creature is enough to make a chill run down Rex's spine. Death is preparing to walk through the doors to Jabba’s chamber, and it’s after them. He can sense it. And with that revelation, he realizes that this isn’t the first time he’s sensed this particular reaper’s force signature. </p><p>The clone looks down at Ventress, who seem just as frightened as he is. </p><p>“I told you,” she says, voice quivering. “we shouldn’t have come here.” </p><p>Just as the doors open behind them, Rex stomps down on her shackles with all of his might, making them break with a loud clang that reverberates around the chamber. She’s on her feet in seconds, screeching in anger and fear as they turn around to face this new danger together. </p><p>What they see there, in the door opening, drains all the fight out of him. </p><p>“Stand down!” He orders Asajj, as Darth Maul makes his way across the room, tall and menacing with the unmistakable, unconscious form of Obi-Wan draped across his shoulder. The lightsabers are still strapped to the jedi’s belt, Rex realizes at the same time as the dathomirian. But when she reaches out with the force to snatch them, she’s stopped, abruptly, by Maul that raises her into the air in a seemingly effortless force choke, using his one free hand. </p><p>“I’d surrender if I were you.” Maul says, throwing Kenobi’s body to the ground with a shrug. Uncaring for his own personal safety, Rex ducks down to check on the man’s vitals. He’s still alive. “or I’ll kill the lot of you where you stand. I’d much prefer it to be in an honorable fight, but if you force my hand…” the sith tightens his invisible grip around Ventress throat, making her splutter and claw, desperately, where the hands should have been. Rex can only watch, feeling the desperation rise in him as his thoughts whirl and jumble in a panicked craze. What is he gonna do? What <em> can </em>he do against such overwhelming, unpredictable power?! He eyes the lightsabers on Kenobi’s belt, and then the tusken gun. He won’t have much luck fighting (or even reaching) Maul in close combat, but all he really needs is one lucky shot. Slowly, he reaches for the pistol… </p><p>“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” A familiar voice cuts through the room, making Rex freeze. He looks up, fearing the worst, expecting to have been double-crossed and left for dead, then releases the breath he’d been holding. There’s Bane, on the other side of the room, standing tall and scornfully proud with Jabba’s only son in his arms. He’s got the edge of a knife held threateningly towards the sleeping child, and Rex doesn’t think he’s ever felt so relieved to see a kidnapped kid in his life. “Let us go,” the durosian threatens. “or the little bantha-turd gets it.” </p><p>Maul releases Ventress,  but otherwise appears unimpressed. She falls to the floor coughing and spluttering. </p><p>“Jabba?” He asks, raising an eyebrow towards the Hutt lord. </p><p>The old slug looks at his child, seemingly conflicted. Then everything seems to happen at once. Jabba’s vary grunt, commanding the patrons of the palace to raise their weapons. Bane’s horrified scream, piercing through the air. And then the room is alight with the sound of blaster-fire. Rotta the Hutt tumbles, dead, out of the duros arms, and Rex watches in horror as Cad falls with him. He must have been hit in the crossfire.</p><p>The clone fights down the urge to go to him and instead glare, more angry than scared now, up at the intimidating face of Darth Maul.   </p><p>“Now,” the man mocks. “are you ready to surrender?” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Somewhere out there in the galaxy is a happy AU where Cad and Ben adopts and raises Rotta as their own. Unfortunately for all of us, this one is not it. </p><p>Also I spent literal YEARS convinced that the reason why we never see Rotta after the Clone Wars was because Jabba ate him at some point in the show. Imagine my surprise when I realized that that wasn't the case after Wookiepedia:ing the little dude.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The devil has my ear today</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Little angel go away, come again some other day <br/>The devil has my ear today, I'll never hear a word you say <br/>he promised I would find a little solace and some peace of mind <br/>whatever, just as long as I don't feel so <br/>desperate and ravenous - Act: Weak and Powerless https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtvvzxET1GI</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s been a long time since Todo II was brought along for a bounty hunter mission. Most jobs are, after all, pretty straight forward: find the target, incapacitate/kill the target, bring the target to whoever pays the most. Bane hasn’t really needed a techno-service droid to work since the clone wars. The last action Todo II saw was back when they were smuggling refugees from Duros, three years ago. So being sent into Jabba’s palace now is nerve wracking, to say the least - and he doesn’t even have any nerves! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He manages to sneak in when Maul makes his departure, dragging Kenobi’s and Ventress’ unconscious bodies behind him. Though seeing them like this makes Todo II want to cry out, he manages to keep his composure and slip inside undetected. He needs to save master Bane first, everyone else is secondary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The little droid makes his way down the tunnels that lead him into Jabba’s chamber. Once inside, it’s easy to hide within the crowd of people. The hutt himself is sitting on top of his throne, enjoying a meal together with a chained up concubine. He realizes with a start that she’s wearing Bane’s hat. He can’t tell what exactly it is that they’re eating, but whatever it is seems… slimy. And fresh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Todo II boots up his communicator. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m in,” he says, hushed. “and there’s no sign of them here. The coast is clear.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Good,” his temporary ally responds. “then I’m going in.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jabba and Maul seem to have made some sort of a deal for them beforehand, because after surrendering they’d been separated immediately. Rex had been powerless to do anything but watch as Ventress was knocked unconscious and then gathered up by the sith, that dragged her and Kenobi with him out of the palace. Meanwhile, one of the Hutt’s gamorrean guards threw a heavily swearing Bane across his shoulder before making his way to collect the clone. The two were led down into the Hutt dungeons where they’ve been locked up for approximately a couple of hours now. The durosian is currently sitting propped up against the wall, shirtless and strangely silent as Rex tends to his blaster-wounds with the remainder of the salve he’d used to heal Ventress. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to find a way out of here as soon as possible,” Rex mumbles, mostly to himself, scouting for potential tools or structural weak-points that might aid them in their escape. “before Maul leaves the planet. I don’t… I have no idea how we’re gonna find him if he takes off. We might have to force it out of Jabba. Or at least go rough up some patrons of the closest bar for information. I know that Crimson Dawn is based aboard the First Light, but that doesn’t mean that’s where he’ll take them… what do you think, Bane?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think,” the durosian says, after stewing in silence for a while. “that we’re too late. And that if you insist on going after that madman then it’s gonna cost you </span>
  <b>a lot</b>
  <span> extra.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Rex rolls his eyes, trying not to think too hard on the fact that the way things are looking right now, they won’t be able to pay him at all. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Really? We’re captured by Jabba and all you can think about is money?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that old </span>
  <em>
    <span>slug </span>
  </em>
  <span>stole my fucking hat! I need a new one. A good one!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lapse into another quiet, together this time, where Rex pretends to focus on the wound across Bane’s chest even as his mind is swimming with battle strategies and escape plans. It takes him a while before he notices how labored the durosians breath is. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bane…?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe-” his voice comes out as a wheeze, trembling and dangerously close to something fragile. “can’t believe that asshole killed him! What kind of a- what kind of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dad </span>
  </em>
  <span>does that?!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Rex sets the salve aside and places a calming hand on Bane’s leg. He’s trembling, so the clone keeps his gaze low out of respect in case he’s crying. He spread his fingers over the others thigh and wills every last piece of himself that’s calm, and warm, and forgiving, into it. Hopefully it will bring the other some sort of peace. “It’s messed up. I know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when the sky comes crashing down above them.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Todo II has sought refuge underneath a table, watching as the interior of Jabba’s chambers tremble in big, dusty clouds. The air is aflame with the sound of the thunderous engines, the screams of panicked people and architecture failing, breaking, falling all around them as Ena-Rana comes crashing through the gates of the palace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old ship breaks through the chamber doors, then grinds to a slow stop before Jabba’s throne. When the doors finally opens, it seems to Todo as if Ena-Rana draws a final, heaving breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, old friend.” He whispers, paying his respects to the companion that carried them for so very long. Though she’ll never fly again, she may very well be their way out of here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when She walks out onto the ramp: a proud, menacing silhouette against the cloud of sand that’s spread across the room. She activates her lightsabers, that glow in a white so bright that it seems to cut through the very air itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jabba the Hutt.” she says, striding into the room as if she owns the place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahsoka Tano,” the Hutt spits in his heavy native tongue. There’s no protocol droid in sight to translate for him now. “what are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>doing here?!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m looking for my friends, and I believe you keep a couple of them prisoners here.” The togruta smiles, cocky. As the dust begin to settle around them, her enemies appear all around: gamorrean guards with their axes drawn, as well as a couple of the general scum Jabba keeps around with their blasters out and aimed towards her. “It would be in your best interest to give them to me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Todo II sees the unhinged rage in the Hutt’s eyes and realizes that it’s time for him to make his move. He sneaks out from underneath the table and hides, once again, in the crowd that’s huddled against the furthest wall away from Ahsoka. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Insolent child, the only thing I’ll give you is a swift death!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gamorrean guards charge her in a chorus of guttural roars, but as the scum prepare to shoot one of them has his rifle slipped out of his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me, I’ll just-” Todo II shouts over the general panic, fighting to raise the heavy weapon and shoot at the feet of another bad guy. “borrow this, for a second!” As she sees him, she alerts her bad guy-friends, who turn to aim their weapons on </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>instead! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh jeez.” He grabs the weapon and flies as fast as he can, darting around the blaster shots above the heads of the spectators, that scream and flee in a panicked craze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they’ve all disappeared through the tunnels Ahsoka makes quick work of their remaining enemies. The gamorrean guards are lying unconscious (dead?) on the ground. Todo II tries not to look at them too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Ahsoka says, turning towards Jabba that’s still on his throne, looking at her with contempt, but also a hint of fear, on his face. “are you ready to cooperate now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Minutes later, Rex and master Bane are brought into the chamber by one of the few remaining guards. They’re given the weapons they’d left in the entrance, Kenobi’s revolver, any other items they might have been stripped off when they were captured and Maul’s destination: Dathomir. The human barely seems to notice though: he can’t keep his eyes off of Ahsoka, that’s smiling right back at him. Once they have all of their things, he takes a trembling step towards her. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Snips?” He asks, like he’s afraid that she’ll disappear in a puff of smoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, Rex.” She answers, opening her arms to a hug that he literally throws himself into. Rex grabs her tight around the middle and spins her around, and the harmony of their combined laughter echo around the walls of Jabba’s ruined chamber. They sound like a couple of children. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe- can’t believe that it’s you! How did you- why did you- wait!” He puts her down, abruptly, then takes a look around the room like he’s seeing the state of it for the first time. “Did you do all of this?!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Well… yeah!” She laughs, embarrassed. “Me and Todo.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Rex eyes on her don't waver, but the little droid sees the way that Bane’s gaze focuses on him for a second. If he could blush, he would have. The durosian doesn’t say anything though, he just bends down and begin to work his way through the rubble, like he’s searching for something… The fact that he’s barely looked at Ena-Rana this whole time hasn’t escaped Todo’s notice. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Wow,” Rex laughs, incredulous. “sometimes it’s really obvious that you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>General Skywalker’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>apprentice!”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ahsoka laughs too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to break it to you two, but we don’t have time for sunny reunions. Come on,” Bane suddenly says, grabbing something before he stands up tall. He dusts it off and straightens it out, revealing the hat that Jabba stole from him: now battered and broken at the edges. The durosian seems to decide that it will have to do though, as he puts it on his head with a grunt. “let’s get our idiots back.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>excuse me while I go shrieking into the void about how much I love Ahsoka Tano</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Nothing fucks with my baby</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ain't it a gentle sound, the rolling in the graves? <br/>Ain't it like thunder under earth, the sound it makes? <br/>Ain't it exciting you, the rumble where you lay? <br/>Ain't you my baby, ain't you my baby? <br/>Nothing fucks with my baby <br/>Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing... - Hozier: NFWMB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi6pLTrx94Q</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Obi-Wan Kenobi was not allowed to love. Obi-Wan Kenobi chose to love anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben Kenobi can do whatever the hell he wants. Ben Kenobi never wants to love again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes, while stewing alone in the dark, cold Tatooine desert, he used to think that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> love, that going through so much trauma has deprived him of the ability (how ironic that he’s finally able to live up to the jedi standards now that he’s no longer a jedi). Somehow through the years he got used to thinking of himself as broken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so, for all the time they’ve spent together during the course of the past year, Ben has refused to call his feelings for Cad Bane “love”. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But if it isn’t, then why does the thought that he might be gone hurt just as much as </span>
  <span>when the darksaber went through Satine’s chest when the lightsaber gutted Qui Gon Jinn when Cody executed the order to kill when Anakin, fueled by hatred, screamed and cried as he left him to burn </span>
  <span>when all the people Obi-Wan opted to love faded before his eyes? Ben’s stubborn refusal to trust the other has left him with nothing but regrets and self-contempt. He’s forced to realize that he’s left fear to fester and take root inside him ever since the clone wars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventress told him what happened in Jabba’s palace when he first woke up, days ago. As things are looking right now Rex will either be enslaved or executed. Bane may very well be dead already. And where was he, the great jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, when they needed him? Sitting useless and pathetically safe in his lover's father's ship, twiddling his thumbs, before he was knocked out and used against two of the only people in the galaxy that he still gives a damn about. Two of the only people that still give a damn about </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d do anything to go back in time. If given another chance he’d tell them everything, consequences be damned. Worst case, Bane would leave him for lying, but at least he’d still be alive, at least he wouldn’t have to die for a lie. In some impossible dream-scenario, the durosian would stay. Ben would get to hold him in his arms again. But he can’t. Though the force is powerful, time flows through a different stream: one Ben learned long ago, through pain and loss, that he can not alter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“uuuuUUGGGHHHH!” Ventress exclaims suddenly, pulling him out of his thoughts with a start. She’s thrown her head back against the wall, ever the drama-queen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Ben asks. They’re locked in the storage room of a ship together, wrists bound with a pair of mandalorian manacles each as they’re traveling through space to some unknown location. The storage doesn’t seem to see much use, it’s pretty much empty of supplies and the few crates inside are covered in a layer of dust. The only lightsource is a single flickering bulb that’s hanging from the ceiling. It hasn’t been turned off since they were first brought here. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop it </span>
  </em>
  <span>with the self-loathing already?” Ventress hiss. “It’s so loud I can hear it all the way over here!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I haven’t said anything.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You didn’t have to! It’s all over your face! And it’s not only disgusting, but entirely unhelpful to our situation.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Well </span>
  <em>
    <span>excuse me</span>
  </em>
  <span> if I’m not feeling too enthusiastic right now! If only I’d been blessed with your cheerful preposition!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Ha ha.” She drawls, rolling her eyes. “But Kenobi, what’s with the doom and gloom? You must have faced worse odds than this in the past, I seem to remember a few times where I almost killed you myself!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t, but feel free to keep telling yourself that.” Ben smirks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, there’s that famous Kenobi wit! Nice to see you back.” They take a moment to smile at each other, before Ventress looks to the floor. “Remember the last time we fought Maul together? Things were looking pretty bleak back then too.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Well, at least we were armed.” Ben gestures to the empty space on his belt where their lightsabers used to be. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Please, we’re force users! We don’t need some pretty kyber-crystals to get our way out of trouble. We’ve done it before, we can do it again.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“What makes you so sure?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Because,” Ventress smirks and extends her left leg towards him, hiking the pants further up her thigh. There is a simple, metal piece of jewelry wrapped around her ankle. It glints in the dim light of the room. “we’re being tracked. And if I know our tracker right, we can expect backup to arrive very, very soon.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moment the ship enters the atmosphere of Dathomir, Ventress </span>
  <b>knows</b>
  <span>. Though there aren’t any windows in the storage department, she feels it in the way that the force grows heavy and invasive, like a living thing trying to move its way down her airways. She welcomes the intrusion, closes her eyes and breathes it in. After doing some quick mental calculations, she reaches the conclusion that the ride here from Tatooine must have taken at most three days. Funny, it felt like months. Though she supposes that she’d be dead by now if that was the case, since Maul hasn’t fed them at all throughout the journey. There’s plenty of stories about legendary force users surviving for years on nothing but sunlight and galactic magical force-waves or whatever, but she</span>
  <span> never learnt that trick </span>
  <span>has always prefered food herself, thank you very much.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where do you think we are?” Kenobi asks once the ship has landed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Home.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doors to the storage opens, momentarily blinding her in vermillion light. Once Ventress has managed to blink the dark spots out of her eyes, she drinks in the sight of the two figures standing before them. On the right is Maul, that’s looking down at Kenobi with something manic in his intense yellow eyes, but on the left is… </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Mother.” She breathes, fighting down the sudden urge to cry. Mother Talzin is standing next to the sith, as tall and proud as the last time Ventress saw her, but when their eyes meet there’s no love in them, only cold, calculating recognition.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come, child.” The woman says in all of her multitude of voices, through all of her multitude of existential planes. Ventress hears it from outside as much as from within, in the form of a whisper echoing through her being. She couldn’t refuse the command if she wanted to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two dathomirians have them separated: Kenobi goes with Maul, while Talzin brings Ventress with her. For some reason, Asajj can’t make herself feel afraid. Mostly, she’s just tired. She never asked for any of this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mother Talzin bring her down the path to what used to be their home. The last time Asajj was here the place was a graveyard, littered with the remains of destroyed droids and the bodies of her fallen sisters. Nature has since then reclaimed the battleground: twisted, rusty metal has become overgrown by vines and heavy roots, while the bones and eye sockets of her sisters have become flowerbeds for dark moss and luminous mushrooms to grow. Though she’s been shackled and cut off from using the force, Ventress can still tell how strong it is here. And despite remembering the dark, silent planet as a tomb, she can tell that it’s bursting with life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She follow Mother Talzin into the cave system, expecting to be thrown in another cell for future culling. But the moment they’re out of the Maul’s sight, Talzin turn to her with something urgent in her eyes. She fish a key out of her sleeve and open the manacles restraining Ventress without a word. They fall to the stone floor by their feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mother?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can not stand idly by and watch Maul kill his sister, one of my own." The woman mutters something inaudible, in a thousand voices, in a thousand languages, and Ventress can do nothing but watch in awe as her lightsaber, as well as Kenobi’s, appear in the woman’s hands out of thin air. She places them, gently, in Asajj’s empty hands. The movement makes them brush against each other, and the pure intensity of the other's power is enough to make a chill run down Ventress' spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns to her, feeling every bit like the child she’d been when they’d given her away, when she’d been welcomed back, when she’d been forced to run again. Through all of Ventress often miserable life, mother Talzin has been the one constant, the one she could always trust to have her back and return to. In so many ways, mother Talzin </span>
  <b>is </b>
  <span>her home. But she’s not the only one, not anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, mother." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The witch lay a hand on Ventress forehead, pushing the younger woman’s head back with a gentle shove. As Talzin’s eyes roll back into her head, Asajj’s close. A wave of energy and strength flow through her, renewing her vigor after days without food and longer still without proper rest. Once she comes back to herself, opening her eyes, she’s met with the sight of mother Talzin smiling down at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now you must go, sister. Save yourself!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ventress back away from the comfort of her and attach the lightsabers to her belt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't just run this time. I need to get Kenobi out of here." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why would you deny your brother his vengeance? He has every right to it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because she'd never forgive me otherwise." The admission makes a thrill run through her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah. I see you found your destiny.” The ancient woman gather her hands in hers and blesses her with a fond smile. Ventress feels her chest warm with pride. “I'm happy for you, sister." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you."  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maul is standing on a cliffside, overlooking the swamps of Dathomir as it’s bathed in the light from the planet’s red sun. The dark side of the force is strong here, Ben can tell. The sith seem to gather it to him with each inhale, then push it back even stronger with each exhale. He’s removed the mandalorian manacles from Ben’s hands, but he hasn’t armed him. So far, he hasn’t made a move to attack, though there’s a disturbingly predatory gleam to his eyes every time he looks at Kenobi. There’s no use running, he’d just get caught again. And here, on Maul’s own territory, he won’t stand much of a chance in a fight. So, Ben opts to wait and observe. Despite Ventress thinly veiled attempts to cheer him up earlier, apathy got him in a vice grip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This,” the sith finally says, breaking the tense silence that he’d left to stretch between them. He gestures towards the swamps. “was supposed to be my legacy. My heritage. Before the sith stole me from my home.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben follows his gaze over the jagged, inhospitable landscape. The place smells vaguely of rotten mudhorn eggs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess it has its own sort of... </span>
  <em>
    <span>rustic </span>
  </em>
  <span>charm to it, but I can’t say that I’m all that impressed. Looks like you dodged a laserbolt there, Maul.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his surprise, the dathomirian actually releases a short laugh at that. He turns back to him, giving him his full attention. There’s something manic in his grin that put Ben right back on edge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right! The sith may have stolen me from my home and family, but in return they gave me </span>
  <b>power</b>
  <span>! But at what cost? I’ve lived through more pain than you could ever imagine-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My sincere condolences.” Ben says, dryly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-after my mutilation, the sith left me for dead. But I survived, fueled by my desire for vengeance. Fueled by my desire to see you suffer! And I grew all the stronger for it.” The sith takes a heavy step towards him. Ben fights the instinct to flee. “You must think that I’ve brought you here to kill you?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Something like that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “No, no, no, no, no. That’s too kind of a fate for one such as you… You must suffer for a long, long time, by my hands. Like you made me suffer.” The corners of Maul’s lips are twitching, like he’s fighting back a laugh, but there’s no joy in his eyes. Only hatred. The dark side of the force seems to breathe and twist its way through him, like the writhing of tentacles. Ben takes a look around himself, searching for something to defend himself with. Ventress' voice is ringing through his head: </span>
  <em>
    <span>“we’re force users! We don’t need some pretty kyber-crystals to get our way out of trouble.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> but in this place, his own power feels pathetically weak against the monstrosity that is Maul. Slowly, the sith begins to move, circling around the human like a predator around its prey. “I’ll kill your friend tonight, and I’ll make sure to draw it out, just for you. I want you to hear every last scream, every last sob, as she dies in your stead. I hope to make it nostalgic for you. Like when I murdered your master, and your mandalorian woman. Only… slower. But first,” he lights the dual lightsaber. The red glow illuminates the sharp features of his face. It makes him look </span>
  <b>hungry</b>
  <span>. “I’ll cut off your legs.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sith raises his weapon and Kenobi closes his eyes, trying to stay calm through the turmoil of his mind. One part of him is screaming, telling him to flee before it’s too late. Another, smaller, more muted part of himself, is whispering that he deserves this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But just as the sharp, deadly sound of the lightsaber falls, like that of a guillotine, and Ben’s body go tense his heart hammering in his chest his breath stammered and shivering maybe he doesn’t want this after all maybe he wants to </span>
  <b>live </b>
  <span>(?!), another saber is lit. Someone else has joined the fray. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the jedi opens his eyes, it takes him a while to really believe what it is he’s seeing. Because standing before him, parrying Maul’s lightsaber with Kenobi’s own in some crazy parody of their fight on Teth, is Cad Bane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maud</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The durosian mocks, looking battered and bruised and ready to drag Maul’s sorry ass to the opposite edge of the galaxy and back. “A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sith push him back with an angry roar, making sparks fly between the lightsabers. He take a couple of steps back, pacing like an angry animal as he whispers, manic: </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Always these distractions, always with the obstacles and tricks… but you’re not getting away this time, you’re not, you’re not, </span>
  <b>
    <em>you’re not…!</em>
  </b>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben can hardly hear him. He’s staring, as transfixed, at Bane. The bounty hunter is standing tall and proud against the cliffside, lightsaber still drawn and at the ready, with the light of the red sun illuminating his figure. The vermillion glow makes the shadows grow tall across his face as he scoffs, disgusted, at Maul and then turns to him. His features soften as something dangerously warm and soft enter those ruby eyes. He’s beautiful like this. Ben’s heart beats almost painfully loud once, twice, thrice, as he struggles with the sudden onslaught of emotions that the look awakens in him. It makes him realize that he hasn’t really felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>since he was captured. His hands are twitching with the need to hold, to protect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, starstuff.” Bane breathes. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Nhgk.” Ben replies weakly, all of his wit leaving him at once. He still can’t believe that he’s here. He still can’t believe that he’s alive and willing to lay his life on the line to save him. Again. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck, I love him </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>so much</em>
  </b>
  <span>. The realization, though it’s hardly a surprise, sends a thrill down his spine. But just as he open his mouth to speak (he doesn’t even know what he’ll say, only that there’s so many emotions in him, it feels like he’ll burst if he doesn’t let some of them out to air) they’re interrupted by the angry scream of Maul as he force Bane into the air. Ben stifles a scream, watching the durosian he loves be thrown, violently, against the trunk of a tree. The lightsaber goes flying, landing dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jedi thinks about fire and brothers and the smell of burnt flesh. He thinks of Anakin’s hateful scream. The sound of their weapons clashing. He thinks about all the declarations of love for Cody that he swallowed over the years, and the burning pit of regret they left in his stomach once the clone was gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t let you take him from me!” The sith roars at Bane, stalking up to where he’s lying dazed, defenseless but </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>, still breathing, still emitting that dangerously familiar force signature that Ben has grown so fond of. It’s in that moment that Ben Kenobi, former jedi master and war veteran, realizes that there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to keep Cad Bane, former bounty hunter and criminal scum, alive. And so he reaches out towards his lightsaber. It flies into his grip with practiced ease, fitting into the palm of his hand as snug as a glove. Once he activates the bright blue blade he’s surprised to find that his previous anxieties about wielding it seem to have faded in the face of his renewed purpose: to protect the ones he loves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve lost, Maul.” Ben Kenobi says, proud, loud and confident once again. It’s time to remind this piece of bantha shit that he used to be the best damned swordsman in the jedi order. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sith halts his steps and turns back towards him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face twists into another manic grin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he’s on him, swinging his deadly dual lightsaber with equal parts cold calculation, equal parts desperate fury. Ben parries his thrusts to the best of his abilities, but despite his previous bravado he’s rusty after years without training. He’s losing ground quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s funny,” Maul grunts between the furious slashes of his saber. “all this time, I was celebrating how you’d given me one subject to torture. And then another one walks right into my trap! How much will it pain you to see him suffer? Will it be enough to finally kill you? I hope not, there’s so much fun to be had with you. Just in case, I’ll torture him the longest, really draw it out. Maybe the two of you will attract some other flies?” As Ben is forced onto the cliff’s edge, he chance a glance downwards and feel his stomach plummet. This is not Utapau. The decline here is steep, and the canyon below is lined with dark, jagged rocks, like the teeth of a mouth trying to take a bite out of the sky. If he falls, there’s no way he’d survive it. “How many friends do you still have, Kenobi? How many more fools will try and come to your aid?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Little Ahsoka Tano has grown up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bane remembers her as a child, short and slim with thin limbs and big blue eyes appearing even wider with her naivety. Back in the clone wars he’d respected her abilities, but he hadn’t feared her, because she lacked experience and that was something he could use against her. But this Ahsoka? He wouldn’t fight her regardless of the price. He’s been in this game too long to get himself into scuffles that he knows he can’t win. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adult Ahsoka Tano is tall and proud. Her previously petite body has bulked up with muscles and there’s something sharp and calculating in her eyes. She’s standing headfirst at the frontline, glaring down Maul with fire in her eyes, long grey cloak billowing behind her in the wind. Rex is on her right, looking for all the worlds like he’s exactly where he belongs, and Todo II is hovering above their heads. All three of them have their weapons drawn, Rex with his blasters, Todo with a smaller pistol that he stole from some chum in Jabba’s palace, and Ahsoka with her dual lightsabers. The last time Bane saw them her weapons of choice had been green and yellow. They’re white now. Somehow, it feels fitting, though he doesn’t know the significance of the change. He makes a mental note to ask Ben about it later, once they’re out of this mess and far, far away from this piece of shit planet and its piece of shit maniacs. Speaking of which… Ventress is the one currently helping him to his feet, but he’s barely spared her a glance. He can’t keep his eyes off of Kenobi for very long. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The absolute disaster of a man is standing cornered against the precipice, but his fight with Maul seems to have come to a momentary halt ever since they were interrupted. There’s something very fragile in Ben’s blue eyes as he stares at the other jedi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahsoka?” He finally stutters. Somehow, the name comes out sounding like a question, like he’s afraid that she’ll disappear once it’s out. Something in Bane’s chest tugs, urging him to reach out, comfort, protect. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Surrender, Maul.” Ahsoka says, raising her lightsabers in warning. Ventress activates her own matching weapon next to him. Bane detaches his blasters from its holster and aims them at the center of Maul’s ugly red forehead. The sith’s eyes keep flickering between the lot of them, no doubt assessing the situation. Cad doesn’t trust that look. He’s got the same kind of desperate air to him as that of a cornered, wounded animal. He knows from experience that that’s when people tend to be the most dangerous. “We have you surrounded.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What happens next somehow manages to develop in the blink of an eye and slow motion simultaneously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before any one of them has had the chance to react, Maul raises one of his long, mechanical legs and uses it to push Kenobi off the edge of the cliff. One moment the human is there, warm and breathing and </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the next he’s falling towards certain death. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bane doesn’t even think. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Todo!” He demands, running towards the edge. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“On it!” The droid follows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Together they leap off the cliffside. Once Bane’s caught sight of Ben, still falling, still alive, he aligns himself in the air, wind thrashing around him, so that he’s got his feet up. Then he activates the repulsor rocket boots and uses them to bridge the gap between them. He turns off the blast. For a moment, their eyes meet mid air: bright blue against fiery red. Though it hadn’t been Kenobi’s own eyes looking back up at him in the Box, the moment still reminds him of it. He’ll tease the jedi about it later. Then Bane releases his cable launcher and watches it twist around Ben’s left wrist. Todo is right next to him, attaching his own cable around the jedi’s right arm. He gives his cable a quick tug, making sure that it’s attached safely, before twisting in the air once more, aligning the soles of his feet towards the oncoming ground. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“This is gonna hurt like a bitch, but hang in there!” He yells, before he activates the rocket boots once more. Unfortunately for him he’s right: the sudden stop makes his body convulse briefly before he regains control, and the wound on his chest hurts like all hell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even with Todo helping him the rockets only manage to halt their speed. Bane turns his eyes upwards, towards the edge of the cliff. They’ve already fallen far, and the distance is increasing by the seconds. The rocket in his right shoe releases a high-pitched squeal. The fire flickers briefly, making him lose his balance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little help over here!” He screams, desperate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then they’re being lifted into the air, slow and purposeful towards the cliff’s edge. Bane looks up and sees Ahsoka, that’s using the force to defy gravity as she raises them all back into (relative) safety. He chances a glance down at Kenobi, not intending to linger but finding himself utterly trapped in the others starry eyed gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the second time you’ve saved my life today.” The jedi says, breathless. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Bane blush and look away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can put it on my tab.” He mutters, trusting the wind to carry the words down to the human. Once he’s collected himself enough to look at Ben again, something mischievous has replaced the stars in his blue eyes and he’s got a grin to match. Before Bane knows it, the hat has been lifted off his head and drifted, slowly but surely, like a leaf on the wind, down towards Kenobi. It lands on his head like it was made for him. It takes all of the durosians willpower to force the messy rush of warmth out from his system. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For fucks sake, Kenobi! No force-wielding during near-death experiences!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben only snicker. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s so handsome like this, looking wild and excited, eyes sparkling, hair tousled underneath the hat, smiling up at him. Cad secures his grip on the cable and Ben seem to reach out as well, gripping the cord connecting them with renewed vigor. The durosian never wants to let go. But then the jedi’s eyes drift further upwards and something serious clouds his otherwise bright blue eyes, reminding Bane of the battle still remaining. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they’re back safely on the ground, there’s no time for reunions, for holding each other close, for reassuring each other that they’re still there, still intact, still alive and together again. Instead they turn around and join the battle together with Ahsoka.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maul is dueling the other ex-sith, that looks like she’s in trouble despite Rex attempts to back her up from the sidelines. Just as the dathomirian male raises his weapons to slash at his sisters undefended side, Ahsoka dash to her and parry the strike. Ben hurries after them, joining the fray in close combat and forcing Maul to go on the defensive while Bane and Todo II draw their weapons and shoot whenever an opportunity presents itself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that they’re all working together Maul doesn’t last very long. Whenever one of the force-wielders are forced into a retreat, giving the sith an opening, they’re backed up by blasterfire from Rex, Bane and Todo II. One of them hit him in the side. Then another lands a shot on his chest. And yet the man stubbornly refuses to fall until, finally, Ahsoka manages to cut her way through his legs in one, swift strike. Maul tumbles to the ground screaming as the mechanism falls into melted pieces on the ground. He only stops screaming once Bane’s walked up to him and knocked him unconscious with the contact stunner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They gather around him, worn and tired from the battle, but victorious. If it wasn’t for the adrenalin still surging through Cad’s body, he’s sure that the exhaustion would make him collapse right then and there. An air of trepidation rises between them as they look down on their fallen enemy. A thick green fog is descending around them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should kill him while we have the chance.” Ventress finally breaks the silence, raising her icy white lightsaber as if to volunteer. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You’re right.” Ahsoka agrees, just as cold. “He’s too dangerous to be left alive.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“We can’t kill him when he’s unconscious!” Rex argues. “It’s dishonorable!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like he’d treat you with the same respect.” Ventress hiss. “You heard him! This twisted son of a bitch was going to torture us to death just to harass Kenobi!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I refuse to sink to his level. The republic army trained me better than that!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not in the clone wars anymore, Rex.” Ahsoka sighs. This is obviously an old and worn argument between the two of them. “And he’s way too dangerous to bring with us to Alderaan for trial. We already know that he’s guilty of countless crimes against the galaxy, so we’re just going to have to act as the jury for now. ” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“And the executioners?” Rex sneers. “You sound like Saw Gerrera.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ahsoka bristles.  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>While the others quarrel, Bane looks to Ben. The human is looking tired and dazed, staring down at the sith with empty eyes. He’s still wearing Bane’s hat. The sight of his discomfort makes something dark twist in the durosian. He draws his pistols. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do it.” He says, interrupting the others. “I’ve killed a lot better people than him for a lot less.” </span>
</p><p>
  <b>“You will do no such thing.” </b>
</p><p>
  <span>A being of smoke and thick, green mist suddenly take shape, hovering above Maul and forcing them all to take a step back. The woman’s voice is layered in a thousand different voices that seem to speak to them from the inside and out. The sound of her rattles its way through Bane’s head, shocking him back into that interrogation-room on Coruscant where the jedi tortured him. He takes a dazed step backwards, fighting the sudden wave of nausea, and then Kenobi is there, grounding him with a firm hold on his hand. It’s not enough to bring him back to himself entirely, but it is comforting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some more words are exchanged between the witch and their company, and then Ben is leading him into the forest with a gentle tug. He doesn’t let go until they’re safely aboard Ahsoka’s ship, and even then it’s just to snuggle up with him on the couch. The second they’re out of the atmosphere, Ben falls asleep like by the switch of a light. The durosian buries his face in the soft tendrils of the others hair, breathing him in. Slowly, the heat from the others’ mammalian body awakens something in him, and Bane returns to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the thunder of his heart has calmed and the sound of the voices penetrating through his skull have faded to a distant echo, he realizes that Todo II is lying snuggled up by their feet. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Hey,” Bane whispers, in order to not wake up the human. Todo II blinks up at him. “You did good today.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The droid gives a happy chirp before he shuts himself off for a well deserved power nap. He can hear Ahsoka and Ventress talking in the control room. Rex is stirring with something in the storage. And in his arms, Ben is snoring lightly. Cad closes his eyes and lets sleep take him as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They leave Dathomir behind aching and worn, but together. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I loved writing it. I really went full Miyazaki with that falling-scene, didn't I??</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. so rest your head upon me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: This chapter contains the most detailed sex-scene I've ever written in my life. If that's not your cup of tea, I suggest that you stop reading after: <br/>"Then he moves downwards," and begin again at the next part following the stars .・ 。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p>my David don't you worry, this cold world is not for you <br/>so rest your head upon me, <br/>I have the strength to carry you <br/>Follow me down to the valley below <br/>Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul - Porcupine Tree: Lazarus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbH1iPzdvdY</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><span>Ahsoka calls her ship Ai. Rex doesn’t know much about astrology (he doesn’t have a birthday, so that core motivation that seem to drive everyone else in the galaxy towards a zodiac has never really been there), but he does know that Ai is a sign in the Shili’s zodiac system, formed from blue dwarf stars. The ship is twice the size of Ena-Rana and it’s interior reminds Rex a lot about the old galactic star destroyers in the way that it’s sleek and modern, and Ben’s Tatooine cottage in the way that it’s a general health hazard. What is </span><em><span>with </span></em><span>these</span> <span>Jedi and their inability to perform basic household chores?! The second Todo II woke up from his power nap, the little droid got to work cleaning it. </span><span><br/></span><span>Five hours later, Rex still has to clear the sitting chair off of old Zorito-bags, abandoned Forceade-cans (where did she even </span><em><span>get those?! </span></em><span>They got dismantled years ago!) and stinky socks to take Hondo’s holo-call. </span></p><p>
  <span>“Rex, my old friend, it’s so good to see you alive and in one piece and hopefully prepared to deliver my payment!” The pirate exclaims the second the connection is stable, beaming at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… Uuuughghhh… Iuughhhhheeehhhh…” He probably should have prepared something more substantial for this. Hondo’s smile slips in increments, a bit more with each nonsensical noise Rex lets out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You fucked up the mission, didn’t you?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Jabba betrayed you?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Pretty much.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“And you didn’t make it out with any money?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Nope.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m guessing Ventress is still with you?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Mhm.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“But you won’t hand her over to anyone for the bounty? Not even a small one?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“That’s pretty much out of the question now, yeah.”     </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“So, basically, you’re broke?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Basically. But you already knew about all of this, didn’t you?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Of course!” Hondo smiles again, even more radiant than before. Rex doesn’t like the sight of it at all. “I have friends all over the galaxy, more than a few of them on Tatooine. How do you think I knew about Kenobi? He should be more careful hanging around those shabby Mos Eisley bars, they’re full of… </span>
  <em>
    <span>questionable </span>
  </em>
  <span>people. I asked one of them to keep an eye on Bane once I learned that he’d retired there and, what do you know, there’s Kenobi! What a treat that was!” He chuckles.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Rex doesn’t know what to say to that. Hondo, however, never seems to run out of words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, I guess you’re officially indebted to me now!” He says, eyes glinting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I guess.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Excellent! You’re in luck, because I just happen to need a crew!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“A crew?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yes, nothing fancy, just, say, maybe you, two of your clone brothers and a force-user? Oh! And bring a coat! A big one! I’ll provide the hat and the silly sunglasses! Do this mission with me and I’ll consider your debt cleared.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>a crew?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Aaah no.” The smile slips as something wistful enters Hondo’s eyes. “Unfortunately, C’tal, my economist and only remaining crew member, chose to double cross me. After I let another associate pay their debt by sending holos of their feet, C’tal sabotaged my ship, stole my credits AND my feet-holos and then joined the Five Syndicates with the rest of those traitors! I’m so proud.” He wipes away a tear. “And so betrayed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the call, Rex leaves the room to rejoin the others. He finds Ventress, Ahsoka, Ben and Todo II in the kitchen. Everyone is sitting gathered around the table except for the droid, that’s cleaning dirty dishes with a terrifying efficiency. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Where’s Bane?” He asks, pouring himself a cup of coffee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw him go into one of the bedrooms a while ago.” Ahsoka says. “I don’t think he’s left it since.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh.” Rex and Ben say, in unison. Then the jedi rises from the table, just as Rex sits down. His pistol is back on his belt, as well as his lightsaber. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I need to go… do… uhm… some stuff.” He says, and just like that he’s gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The clone watches him go, feeling the beginning of a thought swirl it’s ominous way through his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys don’t think that they’re…?” he begins, then interrupts himself. Tries again. “No, they can’t be! But what if...?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re fucking?” Ventress says, making Rex spit up his coffee all over the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“dON’T SAY THAT!” He shrieks, while Todo II makes a small noise of disapproval and prepares to clean up this new additional mess. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh they’re definitely fucking. Isn’t that obvious?” Ahsoka agrees, blue eyes full of mischief as she winks at Rex from across the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does that mean that I should start calling master Kenobi dad?” Todo II muse. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Why not? You probably won’t be the only one doing it.” Ventress agrees. If clones could short-circuit, Rex would have done so at this point. Instead he buries his face in his hands and groans, loud and pitiful. Ahsoka gives him a couple of short, comforting pats on the shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, everything about the others behavior during these last couple of weeks makes so much more sense. Then the togruta reaches her hands out towards Asajj. The dathomirian takes them without hesitation, giving them a short kiss before she redirects her attention to her book. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“YOU TOO?!” Rex shrieks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ben goes looking for Cad with every intention of telling him everything: about the (lack of) money, the lies and, hopefully, if they’re able to get to that point without Bane storming off and/or shooting him, his feelings. They’re good intentions, he knows, noble though long overdue, and they’re completely annihilated, smashed against the rocks of another twist of life, once he finds him. The durosian is sitting on the bed, looking absolutely wrecked as he stares down onto his own tightly clenched hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t react when Ben enters the (blissfully clean, Todo II must have been here already) room. Not a sound or even a glance. And Ben knows, instinctively, that even though he’ll have to come clean sooner or later, now is not the time. So instead he closes the door, gently, behind him and sneaks inside. He sits down next to Bane on the bed, not entirely sure what to say. When he’d woken up from his nap earlier the other had already been gone. This must be where he went, and Ben feels like an asshole for leaving him alone for all of that time, for assuming that everything (he, they) was fine even after seeing how distressed he’d been when they left Dathomir. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You’re not wearing the hat.” He finally says, at a lack for better words. No reaction. “I’m kind of surprised to find you here, of all places.” he continues. “I haven’t seen you on a bed since-” he stops, flustered all of a sudden. Images of the durosian sprawled out over the sheets of his bed, naked and panting beneath him, comes to him unbidden and entirely unwelcome in this situation. He forces them away with an annoyed shake of his head. “since Tatooine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I stopped using the bedrooms on Ena-Rana after my last run around Duros.” Bane replies. His voice is slow and hoarse and he still won’t look up. Ben scootch just a little bit closer to him, trying to be supportive without being invasive. “The master bedroom was my dad’s, when I was growing up. Being in there felt… suffocating.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait…  You grew up on Ena-Rana?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The durosian scoffs out a dry, humorless laugh. Something in Ben’s heart clench, painfully, before leaving behind a growing ache. </span>
</p><p><span>“Yeah, she was grounded at the time. We couldn’t afford any other living, so… We didn’t fly her ‘til I was all grown and able to fix her up. Once he was back on Duros, he gave her to me. Told me he wouldn’t need her anymore. What a-” Cad’s voice breaks and Ben watches in growing horror as the durosian curls into himself, hiding his face behind his hands. He’s shaking. “what a</span> <b><em>fucking joke</em></b><span>.” </span></p><p>
  <span>The ache is a pit is a maelstrom, pulling Ben to Cad like gravity. Before he knows it he’s got the durosian encircled in his arms, chin resting on the top of the others head as he holds him close. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Kenobi-” the other whine, in a way that could be both a protest and a plea. Ben places his hand on the back of the others head and, gently, directs him to hide in the crook of his own neck. Once there, the last of Bane’s resolve seems to crumble. He draws one, trembling breath that turns into a sob, pressed into Ben’s neckline. His blue cheeks are wet against his skin and his body is shaking violently as he claws into the humans clothes and cries in his embrace, vulnerable in a way that Ben suspects he hasn’t let himself be with anyone for many, many years. If ever. The realization makes his own eyes water, just a little, and he tightens his grip around him, trying to summon every last piece of himself that’s good and warm and comforting into his grasp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sit like that for a while, simply breathing each other in as Bane attempts to calm down and Kenobi attempts to comfort, thinking about that damned ship that Ahsoka wrecked and left for trash in Jabba’s palace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If there’s any way to get her back to you, then I will.” He presses a kiss onto Cad’s soft blue skin, right above the breathing-apparatus. “I’ll burn the rest of Jabba’s palace to the ground if I have to. There’s absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing </span>
  </em>
  <span>I wouldn’t do to make this up to you, to make you-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Don’t.</b>
  <span>” Cad interrupts, turning his face to look at him for the first time since Ben entered the bedroom. There’s something very assertive in his eyes, despite the teartracks running down his face. “Back in that dungeon I-” whatever certainty was there before flickers as Bane averts his gaze. He swallows, clearly uncomfortable. Ben takes the moment to run his eyes over the side of the others face. They’re sitting </span>
  <em>
    <span>so close</span>
  </em>
  <span>. As he raises one hand to wipe the last of the durosian’s tears away, the other leans into his touch. “I thought you were dead.” he finally continues. “Or about to be, anyway. And I- the thing is- Ena-Rana is just a </span>
  <b>
    <em>ship</em>
  </b>
  <span>! The thought of her being picked apart by that old slimebag’s hands is enough that I wanna put a bunch of bullets through his head, but the thing is- the thing is that even after we’d been rescued and I’d seen the mess Tano turned her into, the only thing I could think about was… you. And how I’d never fucking forgive myself if anything happened to you. So don’t you think, for even a moment, that I’m going to let you run right back into Jabba’s lair in some shitty attempt to-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.” It slips out of him. Really, there’s no other words for it: before Ben knows it, those three damning words escape his lips and there’s no hesitation in them, no fear or shame. He can’t even find it in himself to feel regretful about it, until he realizes that Cad is sitting frozen all of a sudden, staring at him through the corner of his eye like he’s seeing a ghost. That’s when the shame hits. “I’m sorry, I-!” he stutters, untangling himself from the durosian and widening the distance between them on the bed. “I’m not trying to make this about me or my feelings, I promise, I just- you said that you couldn’t stop thinking about me while we were apart and I felt the same thing so-” Cad turns his face towards him completely, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “during the trip to Dathomir I kept- kept thinking about you and how scared I was that I’d gotten you killed, and just… the thought of you gone hurt just as much as when everyone else I cared about in this god awful galaxy died. And then you showed up to rescue me and for the first time in a long time I felt like… Felt like there’s something out here that’s worth fighting for.” This time it’s Bane’s turn to scootch, ever so slowly, towards the human. Like he’s scared that he’ll frighten him off. “I felt like… Felt like I couldn’t live with myself if you died without knowing how much I treasure you. How loved you are. And how much I want you to be happy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenobi…” the durosian is close now, really close. There’s something strange in his eyes, something warm and impossibly magnetic. Ben feels himself as drawn towards it. His heart is thundering across his ribcage. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Shut up.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Even if he’d had more words to say (there’s thousands of them, thousands of variations to express his devotion, one day he’ll breathe them into life and paint them over Cad’s skin, if only he’ll let him) the durosian steals them from him in the next moment when he bridge the remaining distance and press a kiss to his lips. It’s searing in its simplicity, life-altering in its implications: lips against lips, two hands running through his hair, a thigh pressed against another thigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sex is… different. This time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben is still trying to comfort Cad, in a way, while in a state of personal awe that he’s even allowed to do this, that even if his feelings aren’t reciprocated (?) they aren’t shunned, and he’s been granted permission to touch, to taste, to explore with his soul laid bare at their feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It begins with that kiss, that grows in intensity the second Ben jerks himself out of his stupor and reciprocates. The second they open their lips to each other and their tongues meet, a shock runs through his body as something low inside him tugs and pulls, making him release a high pitched whine. He would have cringed at the sound if it didn’t make Bane moan, low and dangerous, and claw at his shirt, trying to get it off. Ben helps him thread it over his head before throwing it to the floor, then gets to work on Cad’s jacket and shirt. Once they’re both shirtless, he gives himself a moment to pull back and study the others body. That’s when he realizes that among the cluster of old scars there’s a blaster-wound across the durosian’s chest, fresh, green and still in the process of healing. It must be from Jabba’s palace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ben. Don’t.” Cad warns, even as the human reaches out his hand to rest it by the wound, right over the other's heart. It’s beating like crazy. “It’s just a flesh-wound.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Please? For me?” Ben pleads. “I don’t want you to be in pain.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He closes his eyes and concentrates on the damaged skin beneath his hand, on the feeling of the cells already hard at work in order to repair and rebuild. He gives them a helping nudge and before he knows it the skin is being recreated underneath him. When he opens his eyes back up again, it’s to the sight of Bane gazing down at him with that achingly soft, warm and vulnerable look on his face that makes Ben want to hold-kiss-protect-cherish. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” the durosian breathes, raw with emotions. “I love you </span>
  <b>
    <em>so much</em>
  </b>
  <span>.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Fuck-” Ben takes him in his arms again, cradles his face and press his forehead against Bane’s. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he’d have something like this again. “say it again. Please?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I love you. I love you, I love you!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>The jedi laughs, and sobs, and presses what must be thousands of kisses onto the others lips and cheeks, one for every declaration of love. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he moves downwards, kissing his way down Cad’s neckline, exploring every last part of exposed skin with his hands and mouth while blue, long fingers thread their way into his hair. He follow the trail of old scars, that stretch out across his upper body like celestials upon a starry sky, and make sure to give each and every one a kiss, or a caress, or a gentle tickle for the simple pleasure of seeing Cad squirm a little, feeling his fingers tug more firmly at his hair. Once he reaches the edge of the durosians pants line, Bane’s previously stuttered praise comes to an abrupt halt. For the first time in a while Ben feels like the one in control as he palms over the clothed erection. He smirks up at him, preparing to say something teasing, but all of that leaves him the second he sees those hooded ruby eyes, the heaving of his chest and the way one of his hands keep clenching and unclenching in the sheets of the bed. Cad is looking absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>unraveled, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and they haven’t even gotten out of their pants yet! Looking at him like this, Ben finally finds the courage to say what he’s thought so many times before: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re beautiful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The durosian release a low whine, before he blinks down at him and replies: </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“If you don’t fuck me soon, I swear to Rana, I’m going to explode!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He chuckles and drags another teasing hand up the length of Bane’s cock. He can feel the twitch of it through the fabric. The durosian throws his head back and groans, making a wave of arousal rise through him as well.  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh? But that would be such a shame on the pants…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cad digs his heels into the floor and uses them to raise his hips, urging the human on. Ben decides to take pity on him and pull both the pants and underwear down in one smooth movement. The durosian kicks them aside while his partner is busy studying his cock. It’s fully erect, with a small bead of precum leaking out of the tip. The sight makes something impossibly hot stirr in him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben laps at the precum, then slips the tip of Cad’s dick in his mouth, revelling in the sounds of absolute rapture that erupts from the durosian as he uses his tongue to explore the veins running along the sensitive underside of his prick. He bobs his head experimentally, once, twice, before he clenches his left thumb in his hand to avoid gagging and takes the other fully into him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cad’s hand finds its way back into his hair, but he doesn’t push or try to set the pace as Ben works his way up and down his dick. Instead he pets and caresses, pushes the human’s hair out of his eyes and, occasionally, curses in the most delectable way whenever Ben swallows around him. The human feels the swell of his own cock press against the fabric of his clothing, forgotten for now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuuuck, you need to- Kenobi, Ben, starstuff, you need to stop or I’m gonna-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kenobi releases the dick out of his mouth with a loud ‘pop’-sound, then begin to direct his attention to the expanse between Bane’s genitals and his arse. But just as he’s about to bury his face between his legs and lick-kiss-nip his way into their center, he’s stopped by a gentle tug on his hair. He looks up and sees Cad, wide eyed with arousal and something else, something new and vulnerable. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I want to see you.” He whispers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben couldn’t refuse him if he wanted to. So he stands up from the bed, pulls off his pants and underwear to release his frankly quite grateful cock, then gets back on his knees in front of the durosian. He places Cad’s legs on top of his shoulders, looks into the others eyes and places one hand on his own cock. He strokes it, once, twice, groaning with the relief of it all while still maintaining eye contact with Bane, whose eyes turn a darker shade of red. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ben-” he pleads, and he doesn’t even have to complete the sentence before Ben knows what he wants and surges up to deliver, catching his lips with his own in a heated kiss. If he tastes like precum, the durosian doesn’t complain, he just tightens his grip around the humans neck and draws him in closer. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I love you.” Ben breathes across his lips, making Bane whimper. Then he ducks back down, kissing the durosian’s thighs, working his way towards their center. “Let me take care of you…” Once he reaches his arsehole, he kisses that too. Then he extends his tongue and licks at it, carefully, making Cad moan in the most delectable way. “I’ll be so good to you.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He takes the durosian’s cock in his left hand, pumping it in slow, measured movements as he dives in and uses his tongue to enter Cad’s opening. Meanwhile, he’s using his right hand to touch himself, and when he takes a moment to look up at the durosian he realizes that that’s where Bane’s eyes are focused, wide and full of awe. The look makes a wave of almost disorienting arousal rush through Ben. Suddenly, all he wants is to be inside him, feel him stretch out on his cock, make him moan and shiver and cum with his dick still inside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have any…?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Jacket. Left front pocket.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Ben pulls back to fish the garment from the pile on the floor, immediately finding his price: a small bottle of lube. He coats a generous amount on his dick, then uses it on his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once moisturized, it doesn’t take long to get Cad’s body ready for him using his fingers. By the time he’s prepared, the durosian is a panting, moaning mess, his cock flushed and leaking, and Ben isn’t doing much better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to-?” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Ben. If you don’t put that cock in me right this moment I </span>
  <b>will </b>
  <span>hurt you. You won’t know when, you won’t know how, enough time might even pass that you’ll forget about the why, but it </span>
  <b>will </b>
  <span>happen. Understand?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben just laughs, and when he looks back up at the durosian he’s smiling right back. So the human stands up, Cad’s legs clenched possessively around his waist, align his erect, lubed up cock with Cad’s asshole, and then push into him in one tantalising, slow stroke. For a moment the durosian’s eyes go impossibly large in his head, before he scrunch them shut and moan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben takes his time, feeling the muscles of Cad’s insides clench and unclench around him. The sensation makes a full-body shiver travel its way down his spine before it becomes all too overwhelming and he falls onto the mattress with his hands on either side of his lover's head. Bane whimpers and pulls him closer in another painfully sweet kiss that has Ben moaning into the others mouth. He moves his hand down and between them, stroking Cad’s dick in pace with their joint movements, slow and languid as they’re trying to draw this out. It doesn’t take long until he finds the durosian’s prostate (they’ve done this before, after all. It’s the same, but different). Every time he brushes against it, the sounds Bane makes turn a fraction more desperate. He’s shuddering beneath him, clawing at Ben’s shoulders as his inside clench around his cock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite their combined efforts to draw their lovemaking out, it doesn’t take long until their movements together become more frantic, until the sound of his lovers' urgent moans and pleads make Ben thrust harder and harder inside him, his climax building. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m going to- Cad-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Inside! Inside, </span>
  <b>
    <em>fuck</em>
  </b>
  <span>, Ben, you feel so good,” Cad stutters, appearing almost feverish as he raise one hand to cup the human’s cheek. “you’re so good to me, cum inside-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just like that he is, still pumping at Bane’s cock even as he’s spilling hot and white inside of him in an orgasm intense enough to make him see stars. The durosian releases one last guttural moan, then follows right after him, cumming in the tight space between the two of them, all over Ben’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tension seeps from his body, bit by agonising bit. He’s shaking and he can’t seem to find the motivation to move quite yet, can’t (won’t) let Cad go or stop himself from trembling. After one long, fragile moment of silence, the durosian is the one who disentangles himself. Ben feels the loss of him like the disappearance of a limb. What happens now? Where do they go from here? Usually, this would be the part where Bane goes to clean himself up and get dressed only to either leave or crash on the couch. But it’s different now. Isn’t it? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sits down next to him on the bed and, unthinkingly, raises his cum-covered hand to lap up the remains of their love-making. It has a sharp, salty taste to it that’s not particularly tasty, but that he doesn’t mind either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck!” The durosian complains, jerking Kenobi back into reality. When he turns to him, Bane is looking at him with what looks like parts disgust, parts aroused fascination. The human look from him, to the semen on his hand, then back to him. Then he smirks and licks the rest of the semen up with one long, shameless stroke of his tongue. Bane is blushing so hard that it looks like his head is about to explode. “Kenobi! What! What the-?! Wha-!” then he surges up and kisses him, licking his way into Ben’s mouth with so much eagerness that it makes the human chuckle. “You’re disgusting!” Cad finally says, once he’s detached himself enough to make conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look who’s talking.” Ben laughs. He gestures to the places on their body where they’ve both coated in cum, then continue to have a good laugh over Bane’s “eew”s and “tssks” and “Kenobi!”s. Finally, he gets up to leave, only to come back with a wet rag. They get cleaned up. They trade some kisses. They talk, and laugh until their bellies hurt, sprawled out on the bed together, finally together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s different now. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They’re </span>
  </em>
  <span>different, and it’s such an impossibly good thing that Kenobi hardly even believes it himself. But he’s happy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hopes that he can make Cad happy too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・ 。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright so… me and Kenobi… </span>
  <em>
    <span>talked, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and we’ve finally established some sort of a… working relationship. Like coworkers or… or a partnership.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhm?” Ventress urges him on, even though she’s looking bored beyond belief. There’s an open book in her hand, some space-kiosk romance novel with the ominous title “Jar Jar Binks is real and he tried to eat my ass”. They’re sitting together by the dinner table, two hours past bedtime. The tired look in her grey eyes make Bane question himself, but he’s too freaked out at the moment to go back on this. It’s been three hours since he and Ben fu-made love. They made love, there’s no other words for it, and Bane’s pretty sure that he’s never made love with </span>
  <b>
    <em>anyone </em>
  </b>
  <span>before! He’s fucked quite a lot, he’s shagged a couple of times and he considers himself quite the veteran at having sex but he’s never- Alright, he’s spiraling, and he definitely needs some advice about all of this, stat. He’d left Ben sleeping in the bed (whose bed even was it? Tano’s? Did they fu-make love and then crash in Ahsoka Tano’s bedroom without even knowing it?) </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just- kind of… </span>
  <em>
    <span>worried</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t the right word for it, but- when you and Tano first started working together... what was that like? How did you-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Make it work? Get over our differences? Trust each other?” Ventress fills in the gap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Something like that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t, at first. We went through plenty of ups and downs, until we learned to communicate and listen to each other. Honestly, Ahsoka scared the shit out of me when we first met again after the war, she’s become so terrifyingly strong over the years... So when I finally decided that she was someone I wanted to keep in my life, one of the first steps I had to take was to let go of that fear and trust that she wouldn’t harm or deceive me. I reckon that the two of you are going to need something similar.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to do that.” Cad sighs, thinking about their countless battles, the interrogation on Coruscant, Rako Hardeen and all the other times through his life that he’s been manhandled or hurt by force users and humans alike. Then he thinks about Ben’s smile as they defied gravity together on Dathomir. He thinks about the way that the human keeps reaching and finding him, whenever he needs him most. He thinks about the feeling of his lips against his own, how perfectly their bodies seem to fit together, how nasty and sassy and clever and stupidly kind he is. He lays one contemplative hand over his breathing-apparatus. “But it might be worth a try.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s a good boy.” Asajj drawls and returns her attention to the book. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon thereafter, Cad makes his way back into the mystery-bed where Ben is sleeping. He curls up around the human and promptly falls asleep with him in his embrace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the first time they’ve slept together like this. He dreams of many more. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jar Jar Binks is real and he tried to eat my ass is the most cursed string of words I've ever written. I'd definitely read it tho. </p><p>yo hey i love you waddup leave me some kudos and comments plz *eye emoji</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. imagine being loved by me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'd be the voice that urged Orpheus when her body was found <br/>I'd be the choiceless hope in grief that drove him underground <br/>I'd be the dreadful need in the devotee that made him turn around <br/>and I'd be the immediate forgiveness <br/>in Eurydice <br/>Imagine being loved by me - Hozier: Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCCtiK7KlSo</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The door to Ben’s Tatooine cabin opens with a groan of protest. There’d been a storm while they were away, protecting the house from intruders by almost completely burying it in sand. Luckily all of the windows had been thoroughly sealed beforehand, so once they manage to make their way inside they find that the interior is blissfully free of the stuff. There’s no escaping the dry, warm smell of it, though, and there’s a heavy layer of dust covering each and every messy surface. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Todo II throws himself into work immediately, puttering about the place with the kind of single minded determination that could topple mountains.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they’ve all settled in, Bane is surprised to see that Kenobi joins the droid in cleaning, casually asking for advice on how to best dust his ever growing book-collection without ruining their organisation (organisation? What organisation? They’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere!</span>
  </em>
  <span>) and tricks for doing the dishes before letting them stack into mountains. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you had an interest in housework?” Rex asks, making a small flair of protectiveness light in the durosian’s chest.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the depression.” Cad and Asajj say in unison. They turn to each other in surprise while Ahsoka huffs out an amused laugh in the background. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gang spend the next few days living together, enjoying some peace and quiet while the clone and the ladies prepare to make their respective leaves. Living together turns out to be surprisingly not-entirely-horrible, if a bit cramped in the small cottage. Of course, it would have been even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>not-entirely-horrible if they didn’t have to be on a constant look-out for Jabba’s goons. And having to ration the water among the five of them is a pain in the ass: Bane can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>wait </span>
  </em>
  <span>to enjoy his usual, long showers again, he hasn’t felt properly clean for days, especially now that the sand keeps clogging up his breathing tubes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t wait ‘til we’re alone,” he grumbles in Kenobi’s ear, every night before they fall asleep. These are the only private moments they have together, after they’ve shut the bedroom door and curl up in Kenobi’s bed. The heat from the human’s body feels amazing against Cad’s reptilian skin. “once they’re out I swear to Rana I’m gonna have my way with you on every surface of this house. On the couch, the kitchen counter, the table and </span>
  <em>
    <span>especially</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the shower-” The human laughs and drowns the remainder of his words out with a kiss. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Sleeping together has become a bit of an adventure in itself! Ben has a nasty habit of spreading out over the king sized bed, sprawling his stupidly long limbs all over and kicking the duvets to the floor in his sleep, while Cad is, apparently (!), a snorer. He’s never spent enough time in bed with anyone before to have them </span>
  <span>dare</span>
  <span> tell him that. They still have nightmares, occasionally. Kenobi will wake up with tear tracks on his face, mumbling about lava and ochre eyes and falling without anyone there to catch him. Bane will wake up struggling to breathe. The main difference is that whenever it happens now, they have someone there to comfort them, to take them in their arms and soothe them back to sleep. The main difference is that they’re there for each other, vulnerable and open in a way that Cad has never experienced with anyone else before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is why, when Ahsoka, Asajj and Rex leave the cabin for the day to scout the area, the durosian sits Ben down on the couch with him. He’s jittery with nerves, feeling the pulse of the human’s wrists on his cheekbones as he places Ben’s hands on the restraints of his breathing tubes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The humans gaze flicker between the tubes, to Cad’s eyes, back to the tubes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure about this? You don’t- don’t have to do this for me-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m sure.” Bane reassures, surprising himself with the certainty in his words. Before him is a jedi master and his former nemesis, more than capable of killing him with a flick of the wrist if he saw fit. Even when at his most vulnerable, the breathing tubes have served as the durosian’s last remaining defense against him. He smiles, shocking an answering, soppy grin out of Ben. “I don’t need them anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They remove the restraints together, twirling the screws out of gear in slow, measured movements and carefully peeling the protective rubber from his cheeks. One after the other they fall to his shoulders, revealing the respiratory slits underneath his cheekbones. Bane rubs a hand over the naked spot of skin that’s left behind. It feels vulnerable against the dry Tatooine air. Once he’s done, Ben leans in and places a kiss on each cheek. The feel of it makes him shiver. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So? How do I look?” He asks, settling down and spreading himself over the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben gives him a contemplative look-over, so Cad takes the moment to study the human as well. Even though they’ve only been back on Tatooine for a few days, the human’s face has already begun to blossom with freckles. His beard is growing back out, a bit more grey than last time, but Bane doesn’t mind, the color suits him, and his hair has gotten long enough that it keeps falling into his eyes. Despite his alien appearance, Bane finds him impossibly handsome. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look,” Ben finally responds, all soft blue eyes and pretty pink cheeks. “like you did the first time I realised how gorgeous you are.” The smile turns cheeky and Cad can’t even wrap his head around how much he enjoys the look of mischief in his eyes. “But older.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heh, you’re one to talk, mr Grey.” He throws the breathing tubes on a pile of books before settling down deeper into the couch, making himself at home. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Something contemplative crosses Ben’s face as he leans back to look at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We spent all of that time together… and I still failed to notice that you were moving in!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Well, you were never very attentive for a jedi.” Cad blush. It’s true, he had been gradually, carefully, inserting himself into Kenobi’s home ever since they first met up at that bar, five months ago. He didn’t feel comfortable living in Ena-Rana, and the humans couch was so much softer than his. He never thought they’d end up like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben only chuckles and, gently, as if quietly asking for permission, takes his hand. Cad rolls his eyes, but turns his palm up against the others and intertwines their fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sit in silence for a while. It’s not an uncomfortable one, but it’s obvious that they both have things on their mind. When Ben doesn’t say anything, the durosian realizes that he’s the one that’s gonna have to take the initiative. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Ben…” he begins, tentative. He doesn’t know how to do this, there’s too many things left unsaid, too many demons haunting their pasts. But he knows that they’ll have to start </span>
  <em>
    <span>somewhere </span>
  </em>
  <span>if they want this to work. He desperately wants this to work. “we’ve done a lot of shit to each other in the past… But that doesn’t mean that-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“It doesn’t mean that it has to define us.” Ben cuts in, looking up at him with big, bright blue eyes. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah. Yeah, something like that.” Cad chuckles. Maybe the human wants this as much as he does? “We can still choose to be good to each other.” He says. “I want to be good to you.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“And I want to be good to you.” They look into each other’s eyes for a long time, soft and happy. But when Cad squeezes the human’s hand, something dark slips over his features and just like that, Ben’s smile is slipping. He looks at him with something impossibly sad in his eyes, making the durosians heart sink like a stone. “Cad, I have to tell you something. About the money…” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Another long silence stretches between them. Cad takes his hand back and sits up, just a little bit straighter. He’s steeling himself. But for what?  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“What about it?” He asks, finally. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“The thing is that…” Ben’s eyes keep flickering between Cad’s face and the place where he’d left his hand alone in the space between them. “I don’t have it.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“You don’t- you don’t </span>
  <b>have </b>
  <span>it?!” Bane spits, feeling a wave of incredulous anger rise in him. “What about those ‘jedi-savings’ you were talking about?!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m sorry, I lied to you. I was planning to pay your fee using the reward-money we’d get from Jabba, but then-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Then you got us all caught in his </span>
  <b>obvious </b>
  <span>trap. Oh my fucking- is that why you were in such a hurry to leave Alderaan? To have Ventress gagged? Was Ahsoka even fucking ON Tatooine?!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No. No, she wasn’t.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I-” his mind is spinning. “I lost EVERYTHING for this!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I know. Cad I’m so sor-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“My ship, my savings, all the pictures of my father… a kid DIED! For your lies! What was even the point of it all?!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Please, Cad, I can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>begin </span>
  </em>
  <span>to tell you how sorry I am. I kept telling myself that I was trying to protect Ahsoka, but really, deep down I think that I might just have been…” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“What?!” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Depressed. And bored. I wanted to get away from here, I needed another adventure. Like in the old days.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Oh, so that’s what all of this is about? All that I am to you? A byproduct of your </span>
  <b>midlife crisis?! </b>
  <span>Or some quick side-quest before you get back to your mysterious jedi-deployment here on this shithole?!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Cad, I-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Fuck you</b>
  <span>, Kenobi. Fuck you. I never should have trusted you, never should have- have-” He grabs the breathing tubes from the table. Scans the room, quickly, for anything else he might need. Spots his droid in the corner of the room, looking concerned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Todo, let’s go.” Bane says, as he moves towards the front door. He grabs his jacket on the way out. But the droid isn’t responding. He turns around, frustrated, only to find that he hasn’t moved an inch. “Todo, are you coming or not?!” He barks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Todo II only stares at him, frozen and undecided. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Fine! See if I </span>
  <b>
    <em>fucking </em>
  </b>
  <span>care!” Bane growls, even as he’s struggling to breathe, even as the walls of the cottage are closing in around him and he has to get out </span>
  <em>
    <span>get out </span>
  </em>
  <b>get OUT! </b>
</p><p>
  <span>Cad Bane rips the door open and stalks out into the desert sands, alone at last. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The others come back some undeterminable time later, arms full of items that come falling to the floor the second they see the state of Ben, still on the couch, still with his hand in that empty space on the couch where Cad left it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rex and Ahsoka sit down on either side of him. They’re talking, but Ben can’t hear them. When they touch him, comforting touches to the shoulders, a hand in his, thighs pressed against his own, he can hardly feel them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s numb, stuck in another maelstrom of self-loathing as he replays the recent events over and over again in his head. Telling Cad the truth was the right thing to do, he knows, and he doesn’t regret it. He just wishes that he’d done the right thing from the start. Maybe he could have convinced the durosian to work with them by telling him the truth, that his payment would come from Ventress bounty? (he doubts it) If not then he and Rex could have gone out to find her and Ahsoka themselves, or hired someone more desperate, or anything that would elevate him from his current position as ‘person who deceived Bane </span>
  <b>
    <em>twice</em>
  </b>
  <span>’! He’d loved him. Cad Bane had loved him, and trusted him, and Ben had proven himself undeserving from the start. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A cup is placed in his hand. He glances up only to see Ventress leave. She’s bending down to rummage through the things on the floor. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He takes a sip of the liquid, that turns out to be tea, and slowly returns to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?” Ben nods towards the pile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We decided to take a quick look around Jabba’s palace,” Ahsoka says. “turns out that they’ve been doing some… </span>
  <em>
    <span>renovations</span>
  </em>
  <span>, lately. Tossed a bunch of things out.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rex squeezes his hand tighter, reassuring him. Ben takes another sip of his tea, just as Asajj holds something up from the pile to show him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He freeze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In her hand is a picture of a man wearing a stupidly large hat, gazing down at them with intelligent ruby eyes and a soft smile on blue lips. It’s the portrait of Cad’s father, the one that used to hang in the master bedroom on Ena-Rana. The frame is broken beyond repair but the picture is intact, miraculously free of any and all blemishes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben put the cup down on the coffee table, hands trembling dangerously. He draws a sharp breath, that choke on a sob. Then he crumbles, folding into himself as he cries, and cries, and cries. Rex draws him into a gentle, warm hug. Ahsoka lays her head on his shoulder. Asajj goes into the kitchen to make some more tea and Todo II sits down at his feet, looking just as sad and lost as he’s feeling himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben cries for Qui Gon Jinn. He cries for Satine, and for Cody and all of his friends on the jedi council. He cries for Anakin, for Darth Vader, for Padmé and the younglings. He cries for Obi-Wan Kenobi, who he now realizes that he has to let go - he has to let all of them go. It feels cathartic, in a way, like severing a dead limb. He’s making way for progress, for something new. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the others have left the planet he’ll resume his training, as Ben this time, because Obi-Wan died burning that day on Mustafar, alongside his brother. But just because he’s distancing himself from his past doesn’t mean that he can’t treasure the friends that still remain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opens himself up, inviting Rex and Ahsoka closer, pulling Todo II into his lap. When Ventress gives him another cup of tea, he gratefully accepts. Sipping at his drink, surrounded by the warmth of his loved ones in the cottage that they share, he thinks about Cad Bane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben won’t cry for him, not yet, not now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not ready to let him go. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry about this x__x <br/>Sometimes shit's gotta get bad before they get really good</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. I'll find my way back to you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>can’t be unlearned:<br/>I’ve known the warmth from your doorway<br/>Through the cold, I’ll find my way back to you<br/>Oh please, give me mercy no more, that’s a kindness you can’t afford<br/>I want you baby tonight, as sure as you’re born - Hozier: It will come back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMhZ18EmlFA</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ben takes Rex and Ahsoka to see Luke the following day. There’s a festival in town and the boy is here with his family, excitedly making his way between the attractions with his worried guardians trailing behind him. If they knew a bit more about the force and his obvious affinity for it, they probably wouldn’t stress so much. Luke could climb, jump or even fall down from any of these carousels and he’d always land on his feet. </p><p>The festival seems to exist in a cheery bubble in the otherwise dreary Tatooine landscape: it’s crowded, bright with colours and alive with the sounds of children laughing, merchants shouting and musicians playing. The smell of cotton candy and popped lemus corn lays like a thick blanket over the air, shielding them from the usual scent of sand, sand and more sand. It’s all a bit overwhelming, so the three of them settle down on a nearby bench, far enough away that they’re able to observe the boy without being in the thick of it, or disturbing him and his family. </p><p>When Luke’s uncle Owen spots them, Ben gives him a reassuring nod. The man nods back. He’s never particularly liked having Kenobi around and was vehemently against the whole affair in the beginning. It was his wife, Beru, that finally convinced him that Luke might need some extra protection, given his origins, and he agreed to that as long the jedi doesn’t approach the boy. </p><p>“Perhaps-” Ahsoka begins, but interrupts herself. She hesitates for a moment before braving on. “perhaps it’s better this way? We were all so young when the jedi order took us in… We were always training, I don’t remember playing even once!” </p><p>“Yeah. Yeah, you’re probably right.” Rex agrees. “I know that my experience is different from yours, but they’re similar in some ways. My childhood was cut so short that it was barely even there! Just a few years, and then we were the size of fully grown adults. You wouldn’t <em>believe </em>the growing pains.” He chuckles. “And our training began as soon as we could walk. We never had parental figures, or time to just… roam around and play. Or figure out what we wanted to do with our lives.” </p><p>“We were groomed.” Ahsoka says. “All of us, from the start. We were supposed to be protectors of the peace, but somewhere along the line the order lost its way. We became war mongers and military weapons, made to kill.” </p><p>“It wasn’t always like that…” Ben muse, looking at the way that Owen is holding Luke’s grubby little hand in his. “I wonder what it’s like. To have parents.” He says, thinking about Shmi Skywalker and Qui Gon Jinn, who was the closest he ever came to having a parental figure of his own. His mind goes to Jabba the Hutt, to the rodian mother whose child Bane tried to kidnap (where is she now? Did her son survive, or was he one of the younglings Anakin cut down?) which leads him to Cad, of course, Cad’s never far from his mind these days. He thinks about the father he’d left behind on Duros. There’s a neat little pile of pictures of him and his son, in various ages, laying in a box back home. Ben can only hope that he’ll get the chance to give them back to the durosian some day. </p><p>They lapse into a contemplative silence, studying Luke as he makes his way around the game booths, miraculously winning everything he tries his hands on. There’s a huge grin on his face that only grows larger as the pile of awards in Owen’s arms expands. </p><p>“I hope Luke and Leia get to live normal lives as normal children, for as long as possible.” Rex finally breaks the silence. “Even without their parents, their guardians seem more than capable.” </p><p>“The Organa’s are amazing with Leia. She couldn’t ask for better parental figures.” Ahsoka agrees.  </p><p>“I have no doubt that Owen and Beru will do everything in their power to keep Luke safe.” Ben says, knowing it to be true. “And I’ll take care of everything <em> outside </em>of their power.” </p><p>“...I’m sorry, but I have to ask… Ben…?” Ahsoka tears her gaze away from the boy and turns to him instead. He knows what she’s about to ask even before the words are out. “What happened to Anakin? I mean… I know that he must be dead, or he’d be with his children now. But how did it happen?” </p><p>“He was murdered by Darth Vader.” He barely even considers it a lie anymore. Just as Obi-Wan perished that day on Mustafar, Anakin died to create Darth Vader. The two simply aren’t the same. </p><p>“Ah. I see…” Ahsoka gives him a shaky smile, looking like she might cry. Ben reaches out to her instinctively, taking her hand in his. “As horrible as it may sound, that’s a relief! Back on Mandalore… Maul said some pretty awful things about Anakin. But I <em> knew </em>that his vision was flawed! I always knew.” </p><p>Ben looks down at their hands, feeling something akin to guilt churn in him. Whatever Maul told her, it’s obviously been weighing on her for a long time. Should he tell her the truth, or is this modified version of reality more merciful? Before he’s made up his mind about it, his thoughts are interrupted by Rex. </p><p>“Were you and Bane really fucking all of this time?!” The clone asks, out of frickin nowhere. Ben pulls back from Ahsoka, suddenly regretting his position in the middle as he’s being stared at from both sides. </p><p>“Oh, Rex, I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you earlier, I just- didn’t know <em> how </em>!” He stutters, making something contemplative cross the clone’s face while an excited smile grows on Ahsoka’s. </p><p>“Go on…?” Rex inquires, at the same time as Ahsoka says: “Screw the apologies! Tell us how <em> that </em> happened!” <br/>“There’s not much to say, really-” Ben blushes, struggling with the words. “We met up about… six months ago? At the bar. We’ve been together ever since.” <br/>“Six mONTHS?!” They exclaim, in unison, no doubt attracting some unwanted attention their way. <br/>“SSSHHH yeah! But it wasn’t anything serious until… well…” <br/>“Until you spent the better part of a month traveling the galaxy together in a cramped space, forcing you to realize your feelings for one another?” Ahsoka smirks. <br/>“Something like that.” <br/>“Ooohh, Kenobi.” Rex sighs.</p><p>“We had- <em> have </em> some issues. Especially regarding trust…” Ben looks down at his hand, feeling that familiar swell of self-loathing and shame run through him. “I lied to him in order to get him on the mission. And I’m pretty sure that Cad sold me out to Hondo even before that.”</p><p>“Oh. Oh, no, he didn’t do that.” Rex cuts in, surprising him out of his gloom. “They haven’t been in contact since Bane left for Tatooine! Hondo knew where you were because his spies saw the two of you together.” </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“You’re an idiot.” They say, once again in unison. </p><p>“That’s been made painfully apparent recently.” </p><p>They lapse into another, brief silence that Ben spends staring down at his own hands. He’s been exceptionally good at making a mess out of things, lately. </p><p>“Look, I’m not going to pretend that I understand your taste: Bane is still that same old slimo to me that he was during the clone wars, and he probably always will be.” Ahsoka finally offers, making Ben chuckle a little. “But then again, who am I to judge…?”<br/>“What was it you used to call Ventress?” He says, sitting up a bit taller. “A hairless…?” <br/>“Harpy. A hairless harpy. And now… we might as well be married! Life is funny that way... And that’s just the thing! Even though <em> I </em> don’t understand your interest in Bane, just like you probably don’t understand my interest in Asajj-” <br/>“Oh no. I <em> definitely </em> get that.” Ben interrupts, at the same time as Rex says: “I don’t.” Ahsoka (wisely) ignores the both of them. <br/>“-whatever is between you seems like the real deal! Definitely real enough to be worth fighting for. After all, we’re free to love whoever we want now, for however long we live.” </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>They leave Tatooine that evening. </p><p>Ben and Todo II bid them all a fond farewell, then watch as they make their departure from the dunes before their house. Asajj is going back to Alderaan to continue her work there as a bodyguard for the royal family, and has bought herself a small ship for the ride. Rex and Ahsoka are taking Ai to Seelos, to collect his brothers before they go on some new adventure with Ohnaka. Before they left, they pocketed one of the pictures of Cad’s father. </p><p>“We’ll keep an eye out for him. If we find him, we’ll bring him here.” Rex swore.  </p><p>“Just make sure that your boyfriends’ back by the time we do.” Ahsoka winked. </p><p>Now the three of them stand gathered by Ai’s hull, illuminated by the setting of Tatooine’s twin suns. They exchange some words that are too distant for Ben to hear before Rex makes his way into the ship, leaving the women alone to talk. Some more words are whispered, private and soft. Then Ahsoka reaches out to pull Asajj into a tender kiss. The togruta is so tall now that the former sith has to stand on her toes to reach. Knowing that they’re a couple is one thing, but actually seeing them together proves entirely different for Ben. He feels like an intruder, like he should be objecting, like he should be looking away - for Abeloth’s sake, the last time he’d seen them together they’d been trying to kill each other!  Is this how <em> they </em>all felt watching him and Bane?! And yet, the fact that they’ve come together like this is giving him hope. If they, as former enemies, can find not only peace and unity with each other but flourish in each other’s love and care, then who’s to say that the same can’t be true for the rest of the galaxy? He decides to hang on to that. Let it fuel him forwards. </p><p>When they finally part, Ben thinks he can see some tears shining in Assaj’s eyes. He gives her an awkward wave that she thoroughly ignores, stalking over to her ship. Ahsoka watches her go, looking sad and just a bit lost without her. But then the togruta steels herself and follows Rex into her ship. </p><p>Ben watches them leave, one ship after the other, until they’re both long gone. Todo II doesn’t stop waving goodbye until they’re way out of sight. Despite the general shitshow of their reunion, Ben is impossibly glad that it happened. At least this time, he got to say goodbye. At least this time, he trusts that they’ll meet again. </p><p> </p><p>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</p><p> </p><p>It’s been four days since Ben Kenobi put his hands around the embers of Cad’s carefully kindled trust and snuffed the light out of it. The durosian has spent the time pulling in favors from old friends by crashing on their couches by day and drinking himself stupid by night. </p><p>The evening’s barely had the chance to begin when Kenobi, looking shamefully handsome considering their last encounter, walks into the bar and meets his eyes from across it. Cad bristles, hiding deeper in the shadows of the room and behind the wide brim of his hat, but it’s already too late, the human is on his way and Bane’s not <em> nearly </em> drunk enough to have this conversation yet, damn it! But then he’s there. And he’s sitting down. And he’s looking at him with those horrible blue eyes with that horrible soft look, only this time it doesn’t draw him in closer - but makes him want to run away. Ben studies him for a moment and the trail of his gaze is making Cad feel naked and vulnerable. There’s dark shadows underneath his eyes that weren’t there four days ago, the thought of putting the breathing tubes back on had made him feel sick so he threw them in the trash and the fact that Kenobi is looking so calm, so put together, isn’t <b> <em>fair</em> </b> - Bane should be the one that’s got his shit together while the human comes to him red eyed and begging for forgiveness! </p><p>“Can I buy you a drink?” Ben finally asks him, carefully, like he’s afraid that the durosian is about to bolt (he’s undecided on it, but the night is still young). </p><p>“I don’t see why I’d still be talking to you if you didn’t.” </p><p>The human waves the bartender to them and Bane orders a glass of whiskey for them each. They wait for their drinks to arrive in silence, and the durosian is pleased to realize that Ben is fidgeting with the hem of his shirt underneath the table. He <em> is </em>nervous, after all. Cad leans back and studies him more closely, relishing in the way it’s making the other squirm. Payback sure is sweet. </p><p>Given time and perspective, Bane understands why Kenobi felt the initial need to lie to him. But just because he understands doesn’t mean that he has to like it, or excuse the way that the man continued lying even after they’d- </p><p>He stops. <br/>Averts his eyes. </p><p>Takes a deep breath, attempting to collect himself. </p><p>A moment later, their drinks arrive. Bane dunks his own down in one swallow, then reaches out and starts sipping at Kenobi’s as well. It may be petty, but it sure feels good. <br/>The human is watching him with something akin to wary amusement in his eyes. </p><p>“Anakin Skywalker, my former padawan and best friend, is Darth Vader.” </p><p>Cad nearly spits out his drink. </p><p>“What?!” </p><p>“He was corrupted by senator Palpatine, manipulated into becoming the monster that he is today. I fought Anakin on Mustafar after he’d destroyed the jedi temple, and for all intents and purposes, the two of us died that day. But the truth is that whatever shreds remained of him fell to the darkside and became Vader. And I’ve barely been able to hold a lightsaber since.” </p><p>“Why are you…?” </p><p>“Telling you this? Because I want you to know that I trust you, that I’m sorry,” Ben reaches into his robe and pulls out the tuskan revolver. For one, dizzying moment Cad believes that the human is going to shoot him with it, until he puts it down on the table between them. “and that I’m letting go.” </p><p>The durosian’s head is spinning, feeling his defenses crumbling all around him. <br/>“Of what?” He asks, dreading the answer. But when Cad looks at Ben there’s a smile on his face, anxious and soft and so shock full of <b>hope </b> that it’s contagious. <br/>“The fear. <em> My </em> fear of the past. Everyone I ever loved died, in one way or the other, but even before that I never dared entertain the thought of <em> this </em>, what we could have,” he gestures between the two of them. “with anyone because of the rules of the jedi order… but so many things have changed! So I’ll give it all to you, give you… all of me. If you’ll have me.”</p><p>Despite the small kindle of hope that’s currently trying to beat it’s traitorous way into Cad’s chest, the durosian remains sceptical. He doesn’t want to get hurt again, can’t afford to be the idiot that got tricked into loving trusting  Kenobi only to be deceived by him <b> <em>thrice</em> </b> . Fool me once, and all that shit. <br/>“Why?” He asks, finally. </p><p>“Isn’t that obvious?” <br/>“ <b>Why?</b> ” <br/>“Because I love you. And I trust you.” <br/>The words shock a laugh out of Cad.  <br/>“Not like… to necessarily <em> not </em>break my heart, but- To not shoot me, at the very least.” Ben chuckles back. </p><p>Bane’s heart is feeling dangerously light in his chest. He watches the freckled human smile at him, shy but hopeful. Why <em> do </em> humans get freckles? Besides himself, he wants to know, wants to learn him like a scholar studies a book, analytical and thorough. But he can’t let him get away with all of his shit that easily. And so Cad schools his face into a frown and snarls: <br/>“This isn’t nearly as romantic as you seem to think it is, Kenobi. You <em> lied </em> to me! And you still owe me a shitton of money.” <br/>“Let me make it up to you.” Ben replies, breathless and eager, like he’d been expecting this. </p><p>Cad feels himself falter. He takes another shot of liquid courage the whiskey.  <br/>“How? You’re as dirt poor as every other depressed sucker in this piece of-” <br/>“Come home with me.” </p><p>The air stills between them. Cad stares at Ben, that’s looking at him with that dangerously soft, inviting, <em> impossible </em>facial expression that makes him want to curl up and hide reach out to caress the edges of his lips take his things and run, then down at the glasses on the table until the revolver catch his eyes, glinting in the dim lights of the bar. He should have expected this. He is woefully unprepared for this. </p><p>In the end, he doesn’t know what to say - his heart is beating so hard and loud in his chest that he can’t seem to hear his own thoughts.  <br/>“...I...” <br/>“Come home with me, and we’ll make it <b>our </b>home. For as long as this awful galaxy allows us.” </p><p>The human reaches one hand out onto the surface of the table, palm up. Slowly, tentatively, Cad takes it in his. When he looks up to gaze into Ben’s eyes he sees nothing but love, and trust, and hope. </p><p>They leave the glass of whiskey incomplete in the bar. Bane pockets the revolver, intending to replace one of his old blasters with it. When they’re finally back at Kenobi’s their house, Todo II greets him with a hug at the entrance. But it’s first when Ben gestures towards the space above the door frame that the overwhelming, soul shattering happiness really hits him. </p><p>Because hanging above, looking down at them with that same gentle, kind expression that he held himself with through most of Cad’s upbringing, is the portrait of his father Clint Bane. Though the frame is different, he immediately recognizes it as the one from the master bedroom on Ena-Rana. He spent so much time shunning the room that he hasn’t had a proper look at it in ages. </p><p>The durosian takes a stumbling step backwards, reaching for his hat in shock. As the headwear falls to the floor Ben is there to catch him, a steadying presence at his back as they gaze at the picture together. The human presses a brief kiss to the edge of his cheek. </p><p>“Do you like it?” <br/>“I love it.” Cad half laughs, half sobs, feeling like he’s flying, like he’s drowning, like he’s breathing for the first time in <em> years. </em>“I love you.”  </p><p>When Ben Kenobi (former jedi master, war veteran, now fugitive) gather him up in his arms and press a kiss to the back of his neck, like a promise, Cad Bane (retired bounty hunter, ex-rebel, now outcast) lean back into him, trusting him with his weight, his scars, his all. For the first time in many years, he feels completely at home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's it, folks, the last chapter before the epilogue. Hopefully it will undo the hurt I caused you last chapter ^^'<br/>Thanks to everyone that's bookmarked, left kudos and comments! Writing this fanfic was so much fun, but sharing it with you guys turned out to be even more enjoyable :')<br/>I'll see you next thursday for the epilogue &lt;33</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s late. Outside the twin moons are shining, but their dim light isn’t enough to keep the shadows from crawling across the desert cabin. Despite huddling in front of the fire beneath a blanket, Cad’s reptilian body is cold. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Ben comes into the room and hands him a cup of tea the durosian has to will himself not to nuzzle his face against the extended hands for warmth and comfort. The human sits down next to his partner on the floor, huddled into a blanket of his own. He’d like to close the distance between them as well, would like to take Cad in his arms and hold him through the chill of the night, but he doesn’t. Right now they need the space, and even if it’s just a couple of centimeters between their legs, the distance seems as vast and unbreachable as the Kaminoan oceans. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s late. Outside the shadows are creeping closer and the cold grows deeper, sharper, clamping down around them like the jaws of a beast. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t-” Cad finally speaks, voice hoarse from the sort of desperate fatigue that seems to infect every inhabitant of Tatooine with enough willpower to drag their sorry asses out of the local bar. “can’t stay here, Ben.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fire flickers before them. The human stares into the embers, mind blissfully empty as he ignores the lateness of the hour, the darkness and the awful, soul shattering cold that seems to have spread into his very being. Meanwhile, Cad stares down at his own clenched hands, stubbornly refusing to cower, refusing to give in to Ben’s grief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll come back.” The durosian says, finally. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben forces his eyes away from the fire to turn and look at Cad. He’s hurting, he’s scared, but it’s selfish of him, he knows, this foolish wish to keep the durosian with him until his watch on Tatooine is over, so instead of acting on his emotions the human puts them aside and gives his partner a soft smile. It doesn’t convince either of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m serious, Ben, there’s nothing, </span>
  <b>nothing </b>
  <span>in the galaxy that could keep me from coming back to you. But I… I can’t-” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I know.” The human reaches out to him. Gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know, my dear. And wherever you are, however long it takes, I’ll be here, waiting for you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s a dangerous promise, a promise they both know that he might not be able to keep. But then again, so was Bane’s. At least if the durosian dies out there, the jedi will be able to feel it through the force. He clenches the others’ hand tighter in his at the thought. But as Cad shuffles closer and angles his head for a kiss, Ben pulls away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s late. It’s dark. And in the physical distance between them, cold grows. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s been twelve years since Ben Kenobi took Cad Bane to his Tatooine home and they made it their own. The galaxy gave them five peaceful years together before their domesticity began to tear at the edges and fall apart. The odds were, simply put, stacked too high against them with their respective traumas and a whole galaxy looking to hunt them down. As Ben spent his days watching over Luke Skywalker and training with Qui Gon Jinn’s force-ghost (that, apparently, has no issues whatsoever with his padawan’s relationship with a former bounty hunter), Cad grew restless. He finally decided to leave Tatooine to join the rebellion together with Ashoka, Rex and his clone brothers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben gives the house a look-over. Despite Cad being gone for long periods of time the place is still very much theirs. It’s tidier than he used to keep it himself (even when Todo’s off planet!), there’s a fully stacked hatrack on the wall, a locker in the bedroom that’s full of various weapons that the durosian’s gathered during his travels, and the portrait of his father is still hanging above the entrance. Ben wouldn’t want it any other way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The old jedi gather his things to him: the cloak that he hasn’t worn in years, the lightsaber strapped to his belt, the shoes that Cad insists that he takes off by the door, as per durosian custom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He bids his goodbyes to Todo II, that’s been left behind on Tatooine with him during this particular rebel-adventure, pats one of Cad’s hats for good luck and thinks of the man’s promise as he makes his way out into the desert. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once Ben is far away from home, far away from Mos Eisley, far away from Luke, that no one else is put in jeopardy, the old jedi prepares a fire and sits down in the sand to meditate. As the suns set the cold creeps in, dark and twisted and almost painfully nostalgic. </span>
  <b>He’s </b>
  <span>coming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While he waits for his guest to arrive, Ben thinks about Cad Bane. He thinks about the frustration he experiences every time he’s forced to watch him leave - he wants to be out there in the galaxy with him, not stuck on Tatooine. He thinks about how much he’s aged compared to the other: every time they meet his human face seems to have grown another line, his hair another shade of grey, while Cad stays pretty much the same. He thinks about how much he misses him. And then he takes the time to acknowledge all of these feelings, the frustration, the fear, the longing, let them ground and guide him as he faces them head on: his mission is to protect Luke Skywalker. Aging is just another part of life. And Cad is coming back. He promised to always come back, and so far he’s stayed true to that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Maul finally reaches him, Ben’s mind is at peace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The battle doesn’t last long. He waits for the other to strike first, determined and prepared for whatever the sith acolyte might throw his way. He parries the first blow and then the second before he cuts through the dual lightsaber, into the soft tissue of the other man’s flesh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Maul falls to the ground, Ben catches him. He holds him close, like a friend would, or one of the brothers that the darkside stole from him. He listens to his final words and closes the lids of his eyes, gently. As Ben feels the life drain from the dathomirian, he looks to the stars, trying to tell if whether or not his beloved is still out there somewhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He closes his eyes and uses the force to reach out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He feels it like a stirring in his chest, an extra heartbeat, beating right besides his own. Ben smiles despite the pain, cries despite the relief, and holds his fallen enemy closer even as he’s longing for his significant other. A human lifespan, he decides, is far too short a time to truly love another. How incredibly lucky he is, how terribly cursed, that he’s so attuned with the force that his feelings will transcend death. No matter what, he’s at peace knowing that he’ll always be able to keep his promise of waiting for Cad Bane to come home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cad returns to Tatooine after the battle over Scarif. He’d been recruited by Rex into flying with the Spectres, doing his damn best to keep them all alive as he copiloted the ship under the command of general Hera Syndulla. Despite the twi’lek being a formidable pilot and a competent leader, there were a lot of times when Cad thought that they wouldn’t make it. But every time death seemed to be breathing down their necks, he felt the weight of Ben’s revolver strapped to his chest and remembered why he was fighting. It gave him the motivation he needed to keep on moving, keep dodging, keep the target in sight and the enemies off their backs. He’d promised to come back, after all. And he’d never leave Ben waiting for too long. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Speaking of which: coming back home after so long apart never fails to be absolutely terrifying. It’s been nine months since Bane’s last suspension. What if the human has grown tired of waiting for him? What if he’s left Tatooine with the boy? What if he’s dea- no. He’d be able to tell. He’s not sure how, since he’s not force-sensitive, but he’s as certain of it as he’s sure that credits make the galaxy go ‘round. He’s as certain of it as he’s sure of his devotion to Ben Kenobi. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He takes a step into the desert, towards the house and the life they share. And then another. And another. Before he knows it he’s all but running, making his way through the harsh landscape as fast as he can with the combined force of the twin suns beaming down on him. By the time the house comes into view his legs are trembling dangerously and his lungs are burning from exertion. He’s weak, but it feels good. He coughs out a laugh and then there He is: skinny and silver haired and freckled from the sun, he’s just about throwing the door from its hinges as he comes rushing towards him. He’s been expecting him. Of course he’s been expecting him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cad drops his bag to the ground, head spinning with relief and happiness and fear. Ben catches him just as he’s about to fall to his knees. The human is pleasantly warm and solid against him. He nuzzles his face into the crook of his neck.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cad, darling…?” The human comforts, running his hands down his body to look for injuries. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m getting too old for this shit.” Cad reassures with a laugh before he gathers himself up and stands on his own two feet. He’s not even sure what he means by that - too old to go jogging through the desert in the middle of the day? Definitely. Too old for the rebellion, too old for battle? Perhaps. Too old to romance his partner? He grins. Never. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He cradles Ben’s face in his hands and, gently, turns it towards his own. He’s absolutely fascinated to find a new set of wrinkles in his cheeks, imprints from a life full of laughter. They’re beautiful. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, starstuff.” He greets, making another one of those gorgeous smiles blossom across the human’s face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, my dear. Though I sympathize with your impatience, I need you to know that I don’t condone you sprinting through the desert when it’s at its hottest. It would be such a shame if you made your way over here only to die of heatstroke on our doorstep.” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Shut up. I’ve missed you, too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time when Cad angles his head down Ben meets him halfway in a kiss that’s as simple and natural as drawing breath. And Ben decides, for the first time, for the thousandth time, that even if his human lifespan may not be long enough to express all the love he’s feeling, he’ll try his damn best with the time they’ve been given. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The galaxy is at war. Its people have suffered horribly at the hands of its fascist leadership. There’s rumors of a new super-weapon being built, powerful enough to destroy planets. But in the shape of the rebellion, in the shape of the Skywalker-twins, and in the love that’s shared between a former jedi master and a retired bounty hunter, hope continues to grow - stubborn, defiant and capable to change the course of history. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's it for now, folks! Thanks for joining me on this wild ride through space :) <br/>Take care ✭・.・✫・</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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